YANG 2016
by elusivelahmb
Summary: Blake is a struggling writer working as a journalist. Yang is a charismatic young politician running for office. But the road to the top is full of scandal, drama, and less than reputable opponents. Political AU with eventual bumbleby and possibly other pairings
1. Chapter 1

Blake looked around impatiently. The hall was completely full, every seat taken and many more people, including Blake herself, standing around the sides. In fact, the cramped space was starting to get rather hot as a result of the bodies so tightly packed in. Blake shifted around uncomfortably, happy that the press conference was set to start in just a few minutes.

Flipping to a new page of her notebook, Blake glanced up at the stage. It was simple, just an elevated platform really, bare except for a small podium in the center. The banners that hung behind it had yet to be unfurled, presumably waiting for the arrival of the person who had called the conference: Yang Xiao Long.

Blake knew all about Ms. Xiao Long. She was the youngest Vale alderperson ever elected, a political wunderkind due to her age and charisma. Rumors had been circulating wildly for the past few months that she was planning to run in the upcoming mayoral election. Personally, Blake hoped the rumors were false. She wasn't a fan of politicians in general, and she especially detested the young, cocky ones, which is precisely what Yang Xiao Long came across as.

The sound of the door opening startled Blake from her thoughts, and she hastily wiped the scowl off of her face to focus on the people stepping onto the platform. First was tall man with dark, spiky hair and a seemingly permanent frown. Next, an excited girl with red-tipped brown hair who waved to the crowd as she walked. And finally, Xiao Long herself.

Blake's eyes widened as she took in the woman before her. Yang Xiao Long was even more stunning in person than on TV. Her blonde hair flowed behind her in soft waves, and Blake could see the sparkle in her violet eyes even from her spot in the back of the room. She was dressed impeccably in a black skirt and blazer, and her orange dress shirt had just enough buttons left undone to be considered slightly scandalous.

"Good morning, everyone!" she called as she reached the podium. "Thank you all very much for coming out today. I'm here to announce to you, the citizens of Vale, that my name is Yang Xiao Long and I'm running for mayor!" As she finished, the banners dropped open, revealing the words "YANG XIAO LONG 2016" written in large block letters. Blake rolled her eyes as the crowd applauded and Xiao Long grinned widely. It appeared the bimbo was running after all. Fantastic.

After a short speech from Xiao Long, the dark-haired man, who was introduced as Qrow Branwen: campaign manager, took a few basic questions. Next Ruby Rose: fundraising chair, announced a public gala next month to raise money for the campaign. Xiao Long gave closing remarks and that was that.

Blake frowned at her notebook. Stupid Yang Xiao Long with her stupid, gorgeous hair and stupidly dazzling grin had avoided answering any important questions about her platform or her plans for Vale. Unfortunately for her, Blake Belladonna didn't give up so easily. As other audience members filed out of the hall, Blake pushed her way up to the stage, where the politician and her entourage were currently posing for pictures.

"Excuse me, Ms. Xiao Long? I have a couple questions I'd like answered," Blake said, fiddling with her pen as she was ignored completely. Blake attempted to move closer but was blocked immediately by the Branwen guy from earlier.

"Press conference is over, sweetheart. Next time, wait in line to ask questions with the other boys and girls," he said gruffly. Blake narrowed her eyes, barely able to contain her anger.

"Sweetheart?!"

Before she could punch the arrogant jerk in the face, a flash of blonde inserted itself between them.

"Now Qrow, that's no way to talk to a journalist. Pleasure to meet you, I'm Yang Xiao Long, but you can just call me Yang." She stuck out her hand as she spoke, smiling warmly at Blake.

Blake blinked, trying to figure out exactly where she had materialized from.

"Um, yes, well my name is Blake Belladonna, and I'm hoping that you'll answer a few questions for an article I'm to write about your candidacy," Blake said, somewhat transfixed by the purple eyes that were mere inches from her face.

"Sure thing! May I ask what news source you write for?" Yang responded cheerily.

"It's, uh, News n Stuff," Blake said sheepishly. For the first time, Yang's smile disappeared.

"Seriously? Y'know it has the 'n Stuff' for a reason, right?" Yang looked sincerely disappointed.

"No need to be rude about it," Blake said hotly.

"It's not rudeness, it's honestly. And honestly is very important for us politicians," Yang replied, smirking a little.

She's teasing me! Blake glared harder at the thought.

"Listen, Yang, I'm well aware of the limitations of my employer, but that's no excuse for you to—"

"Look, Blake—can I call you Blake?"

"No."

"Blake, you seem like a smart woman. And I'd hate to get on your bad side," Yang said. Blake fought the urge to roll her eyes. Too late for that, idiot.

"I can't imagine that you're happy writing for a 'news' source like that, so how bout you work for me instead?" Yang asked the question with such sincerity that Blake paused her mental eye rolling to stare in disbelief.

You—what?"

"DO YOU WANT A JOB WITH MY CAMPAIGN?" Yang yelled. Blake winced and gave her best withering stare. "Sorry, sorry," Yang apologized with a wide grin. "Well, whaddya say?"

Blake looked away from the blinding smile, thoroughly overwhelmed by the prospect of spending more time with this woman. Then again, her current job did suck, and Yang was unfortunately correct in her criticisms of News n Stuff.

"I'll have to think about it," Blake said finally.

"Totally! Just give us a call or stop by city hall when you make up your mind," Yang replied, reaching out to shake Blake's hand again vigorously.

Blake offered her a slight smile, still reeling from the sudden change in the conversation.

"If you two are about done, we have places to be, Yang," the campaign manager broke in, sounding vaguely annoyed. Blake flinched a little. She had forgotten he was standing there.

"Right!" Yang said, unfazed by his attitude. "Nice to meet you, Blake." She waved briefly over her shoulder as he led her towards the door, where Ruby was already waiting.

"Nice to meet you, too," Blake muttered, staring after the woman, taking in the mess of blonde hair and the long, tan legs as they exited the hall.

As Blake left the hall and drove back to her office, she found herself unable to think of anything else.

Sitting in her cubicle, Blake stared blankly at the computer screen, trying and failing to write the first line of her article. Whenever she attempted a sentence, Yang's offer started rattling around in her head again.

I can't imagine that you're happy writing for a 'news' source like that, so how bout you work for me instead? Blake shook her head to clear it. Who did Yang think she was, acting like she knew what Blake wanted? It's not like now was a good time for Blake to quit her job, especially for such a nebulous offer. She was barely scraping by as it was, not to mention the mountains of college debt she had to pay off.

Blake sighed softly, slowly twirling a pen between her fingers. She was a journalist, what would she even do in a political campaign? And what would she do once it was over? It was crazy to even consider. Obviously. So why was she considering it?

"Hey Blake, you doing alright over there?" Blake jolted at the sound of the Australian-accented voice behind her.

"Oh, hi Velvet," she said, turning around. "I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"Well, you were kind of…growling?"

Blake felt her face heat up with embarrassment. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Velvet shifted her feet awkwardly.

"Would you like to talk about it?" she finally asked. "Coco always tells me not to keep stuff bottled up, y'know?" Blake sighed, grasping the pen tightly.

"Yeah, Coco has a point," she said quietly. "Velvet, you know Yang Xiao Long, right?"

"Of course! She seems like a good sort," Velvet replied. "Hey, didn't you go to her press conference today?"

"That's the problem," Blake said, tapping the pen on her desk rapidly. "She offered me a job."

"What? That's amazing!" Velvet smiled widely as she took in the news. "Are you taking it?"

"N-no, I can't," Blake said hastily, taken aback at Velvet's reaction. "I mean, I shouldn't, right? It's too risky and she's so…" Blake gestured wildly, unable to find the words. Velvet raised an eyebrow at her agitated colleague.

"Blake, you and I both know how you feel about working here. And it may be risky, but so is trying to find a career as a writer," Velvet paused to play with her fingers for a second. "And I wasn't going to tell you this until Monday but…Coco got me a job at her company."

"You're leaving?"

"I have two more weeks. But after that, yeah," Velvet searched Blake's face for a reaction.

"Wow, congrats Velvet!" Blake said earnestly. Then she smirked a little, sensing a chance to turn the tables. "And did Coco get you a wedding ring as well?"

Her plan worked spectacular as Velvet immediately stiffened, turning a deep shade of pink.

"B-BLAKE!" Velvet stammered. Glancing around nervously, she quickly lowered her voice. "I told you, she doesn't like me that way. We…We're just friends!" Blake felt the corners of her mouth curling up further.

"If that girl isn't in love with you, I'll eat my desk."

Velvet visibly shivered at the word "love." She stuttered out a few half-hearted protests, twirling the ends of her hair. Suddenly she stopped, fixing Blake with a stern glare.

"Wait a minute, you're just trying to distract me!" She accused. "It's not working this time, Belladonna."

"Damn, so close," Blake said with a slight scowl, grabbing her pen again and spinning it twice.

"Now, tell me the real reason why you won't take a job on the Xiao Long campaign," Velvet continued.

"Fine," Blake relented with a heavy sigh.

"I just—I don't think I can work with her. When we met she was acting like she knew everything about me, but she doesn't! A-and she kept giving me this stupid smile. I mean, how can teeth be so white? And her eyes…" Blake trailed off, once again at a loss for words due to that idiot Yang Xiao Long. She fumed silently, bending her pen viciously between her hands.

Velvet stared at her with a curious expression on her face.

"Blake, do you like her?"

Blake's pen dropped to the floor.

"What?! No!" she practically screeched, knowing that she was turning red as she spoke.

"Ah, okay. I see what's going on here," Velvet said with a knowing wink.

"I SAID NO," Blake whisper-yelled, furiously scanning the area for anyone listening in.

"It's cute that you have a crush, but that's no reason to stagnate your career," Velvet continued sagely.

"What about 'no' do you—"

"I won't tell you what to do. But chances like this, and women like that, are once in a lifetime."

Blake paused her protests for a moment. Maybe Velvet was right. Obviously she didn't like the oaf, but her apprehension over Yang wasn't a valid reason for missing what could be the turning point in her career.

"I'll think about it some more," Blake said after a while. "Thanks Velvet."

"Anytime," Velvet replied. "I'll see you around," she said, turning to return to her own cubicle.

Blake took a deep breath, leaning down to pick up her pen from the floor.

Her choice was clear.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a hot, muggy summer day in Vale. It was kind of day where just stepping outside saps all of your energy in an instant. And although small white clouds drifted across the sky, they did little to shelter the citizens from the blazing yellow sun overhead. People scurried back and forth across Vale Plaza, the largest shopping complex in the city, eager to get into shops and out of the heat.

Yang Xiao Long, on the other hand, sat bathed in a pool of sunlight, her hair and eyes seeming to glow with the same scorching warmth. Yang had always enjoyed the heat, and was currently basking in it like some sort of lizard. She regarded the man sitting across from her. He appeared to be deep in thought, though his stoic features gave no insight as to what these thoughts might be. They were the only two people to have braved the outdoor seating area of Ren's Diner, one of Vale's best eateries—at least in Yang's humble opinion. As a result, it was perfectly quiet as Yang waited for the man to respond. The eerie stillness of the hot air surrounding them did nothing to ease her nerves. She stealthily checked her watch. 11:38. Her leg began shaking impatiently, bouncing her knee up and down rapidly.

Finally, the man stirred. He pushed up his round glasses and met Yang's eyes with his piercing gaze.

"I'm afraid that I cannot do what you ask of me, Yang. At least, not at this juncture," he said calmly. Yang sat up straighter, an indignant reply already at her lips.

"But Ozpin—"

"No. Listen. I do not know enough about your opponents to be able to make this judgement right now. Perhaps in the future, I'll be in a position where I can. But for now, all I can do is wish you the best of luck in your campaign." He sat back in his chair as he stopped speaking with an air of finality. But Yang wasn't quite done yet.

"Okay, okay. I get where you're coming from, but we've been friends for years! And if I can get some momentum early on, I can increase my lead in the polls and maybe—"

"Yang. This is a decision I must make with my head, not my heart. Do you understand?"

"I do," Yang replied quickly. "But hey, you don't have to worry about your reputation anymore. You're retiring anyway, so it's not like this could come back and hurt your career." Yang realized it was a poor argument, but she was somewhat desperate at this point. Unfortunately, her attempt backfired almost immediately. Ozpin's expression darkened almost imperceptibly, and Yang internally cringed.

"This election is not about me, and it's not about you. It is about the future of Vale, and I will endorse the candidate that I think is best for Vale." He spoke in an even sterner tone than earlier, and his eyes were hard.

"Of course," Yang said, staring at the woven fibers of the table. "I'm sorry Oz, I didn't mean to imply anything." Ozpin's expression softened slightly.

"It's fine Yang. You were just trying to be candid. Although it would behoove you to think more before speaking in the future."

"Great, now you sound like Qrow," Yang said with a grin. Ozpin smiled back.

"Yang, I do think that you'd make for an excellent mayor." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "But just make sure that you are doing this for the right reasons." With that cryptic message, he stood to take his leave. Yang rose as well to shake his hand and bid him goodbye. She sighed softly as she watched him saunter off across the plaza.

"And what reasons are that?" she muttered to herself.

Yang turned to leave, pulling her phone from her pocket. Just as she did, it began vibrating. She sighed internally as she answered it.

"Hey Qrow, I was about to call you."

"Where the hell are you?! Your vote's at 12 in case you forgot. And _please_ tell me you got him to endorse you?"

"Really? Not even a 'hello' before you start grilling me?"

"Yang…"

"Alright, alright. Geez, calm down old man, you're gonna give yourself a heart attack," Yang said with a grin.

"Hey, I still got it," Qrow protested in a somewhat lighter tone.

"Gross," Yang said, although she was still grinning. She took a breath before speaking again, the smile vanishing from her face. "Qrow, I couldn't get the endorsement."

"Shit. What happened?"

"Nothing, I swear! It just wasn't the right time. You know how Oz is." Yang kicked a pebble as she spoke. It skittered across the pavement and fell into a nearby sewer grate.

"Yeah, I do," Qrow said with a sigh. "Well hurry your ass back over here. You got about 10 minutes."

"Alright seeya soon," Yang replied. She hung up just as she approached her car. Yang slid behind the wheel, hurriedly starting the ignition and backing out of her spot. As much as she liked the car, she couldn't help but miss Bumblebee, her old motorcycle. But apparently motorcycles weren't seen as very professional, and as a result Qrow had suggested she trade hers in for a regular car. Well, more like demanded. Yang hadn't had the heart to completely abandon Bumblebee though, instead leaving it in a corner of her dad's garage.

Yang zipped down the few blocks to city hall, trying her best not to speed too much. That was another one of her habits that Qrow had put a swift stop to. She pulled into her spot in front of the building and all but leapt out of the car. She checked the time as she scurried up the steps to the front door. 11.57.

"Yikes. Okay, okay, still got time," Yang said in a low voice as she walked as fast as humanly possible down the main entryway. Luckily the council chambers were on the first floor, so she didn't have too far to travel.

"Hellooo Yang!" a red-haired woman called out. Yang slowed down a little, her trademark grin blossoming on her face.

"Hey Pyrrha," she said. "Hey Jaune," she continued, addressing the tall blonde man beside Pyrrha. The two of them worked in the Vale Public Works Department, and it had been a joke around city hall for years that Jaune was simply too thick to notice Pyrrha's obvious feelings for him. But amazingly, they had started dating a few months back, and bets were already circulating about when they would get married.

"How's it going you two?" Yang asked them cordially.

"Uh, we're good," Jaune replied. "But don't you have a vote to get to?"

"SHIT."

Yang bolted down the hallway, whipping around the corner to collide head on with Qrow, who chuckled at her disheveled state. He swiftly straightened her shirt before practically shoving her into the council chambers.

The doors slammed open, drawing the attention of the other four council members as well as the scattered citizens who had come to watch the vote. Yang cleared her throat and took a breath.

"Good afternoon everybody!" she said, smiling widely. She glanced at the clock on the wall opposite her. 12:00.

"Nailed it."

 **AN: Thank you for reading!**

 **I apologize for the delay between these first two chapters, I promise updates will be more frequent in the future. I've been super busy these past two weeks (life, y'know) and sadly I'm a pretty slow writer. Regardless, the second half of this chapter should be up in the next few days. Or at least it won't take another two weeks... Also, while this story starts off fairly slow, I swear the bees are coming! In due time :3**

 **Anyway, super big thank you to everyone who reviewed! THB4, I did think about making it a presidential race but I wanted to have Yang be younger. But yeah, keep letting me know what you think or if you have any predictions because I'd love to hear them :)**

 **Thanks again for reading, have a good day!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks so much for driving me Velvet, it's absolutely disgusting out there," Blake said from her spot in the passenger seat. Velvet waved a hand dismissively.

"It's no problem at all," she replied cheerily. "I wouldn't want you taking the bus in this heat."

"Yeah, I don't know how anyone can stand it," Blake said back. There was silence for a moment as they approached city hall.

"So what time is your appointment anyway?" Velvet asked. "You seemed anxious when we left.. I hope I'm not making you late at all."

"Not at all!" Blake said quickly. "I have to wait for some council vote at noon anyway."

"Noon? You have almost 30 minutes then," Velvet said as they pulled up in front of the building. "Would you like to pick something up from the diner at the plaza?"

"Uh, no thanks," Blake responded, reaching for the door handle. She was so nervous she doubted she could eat anyway.

"Thanks again Velvet, I'll see you later." With that, Blake stepped out of the car and into the suffocating heat. She broke out into a sweat almost instantaneously.

"All right then! Bye Blake!" Velvet called as she drove away.

Blake sighed heavily as she trudged up the stairs and into the sweet, sweet air conditioning. The interior foyer was bustling with activity as people scuttled back and forth to their meetings and errands. Blake stepped out of the way before checking the time on her phone. 11:38. Early as always.

She made her way to the council chambers, and was pleased to see that she remembered the room from the previous times she had been there for work. The chamber was almost empty, and Blake selected a seat in the back corner to observe. The only alderperson present was Glynda Goodwitch, the senior-most member of the council. During her decades of service, she had developed a formidable reputation as highly efficient, though austere. Blake avoided eye contact, staring intently at the back of the chair in front of her.

Blake had no idea why she was so nervous. It had been a while, but Yang had definitely offered her a job. And Blake had even called ahead, although she didn't speak to Yang directly. Maybe that was the problem. Just thinking about the prospect of seeing the other woman again had her stomach immediately tied in knots. Blake shook her head to clear it. What was wrong with her? She didn't even particularly like Yang. Needing a distraction, Blake pulled her pen out of her bag and began spinning it between her fingers.

The pen itself had been a gift from her father presented when she started college. Now, it was well-worn, the black polish rubbed off in some places from her incessant spinning. It was a nervous habit, really. Starting in college, she had taken to spinning it around her digits as a way to relieve stress. So far, it had worked pretty well.

A door slammed open and Blake nearly jumped out of her chair. She looked up to see three more council members filing in. Peter Port, a large man with an admittedly impressive mustache, entered first. Zipping around him while talking animatedly was Bartholomew Oobleck, and trailing at the back was James Ironwood, a serious man from Northern Vale. Ironwood addressed Goodwitch with a curt nod. She ignored him entirely, a scowl forming on her face.

Blake watched the exchange, intrigued. She'd had no idea of any animosity between the two. The men took their seats and Blake fiddled with her pen as the minutes ticked past. A few more citizens settled in to watch the vote. Blake idly wondered what exactly they were voting on. She checked the time again. 11:57. Frowning, she glanced at the door. Where the hell was Yang?

She spun her pen faster as the minutes continued to pass. None of the other council members seemed fazed in the slightest by Yang's absence. As the clock struck 12:00, Goodwitch stood up to call the session to order. The low chatter in the audience stopped, leaving the room in perfect silence. Just as Goodwitch opened her mouth to speak, the main doors flew open, slamming into the wall with a loud bang.

Blake jolted, her heart rising into her throat as she looked to see who it was. The second she caught a glimpse of the long, golden hair, she was filled with relief. Yang was breathing heavily, as though she had just been running, though her hair still looked impeccable, and her eyes shone with the same brilliance that they had held at the press conference.

"Good afternoon everybody!" she said, her wide grin flashing. Blake rolled her eyes at Yang's exuberance, but couldn't stop the small smile that crept onto her face.

"Nice of you to join us, Councilwoman Xiao Long," Goodwitch said solemnly. Yang's grin flickered a little at the stern comment, and she quickly took her seat.

"You're right on time, Yang," Ironwood said to her. "Don't worry about Glynda, she's just being…" He trailed off as Goodwitch sent him a piercing glare. "Er, anyway, shall we get started?" He continued nervously.

"A fine idea Councilman Ironwood," Oobleck chimed in. "I hereby make a motion to call this session of the Vale City Council to order."

"And I second your motion," Port boomed, his mustache and eyebrows moving hypnotically as he spoke.

"Very well," Goodwitch said. "The item in question is Councilwoman Xiao Long's citywide recycling proposal. Councilwoman?"

"Right, thank you Glyn—uh, Councilwoman Goodwitch," Yang said, standing up to address the council and the audience. "So, we all know that Vale has a trash problem. We generate more garbage than some larger cities, including Atlas and Haven. I did some research, and it turns out it's because we just don't recycle as much. I mean, our recovery rate for paper and plastics is only 33%, under the national average. And the reason for it is that we have trash cans on every damn corner, but no recycling bins anywhere near them. I was just at the plaza, and I counted 8 trash cans in the main square. And guess how many recycling bins? Zero." Yang paused for emphasis.

"So I thought, hey, why don't we add some? I found over 150 locations around Vale that would work great. The details are in the packets you guys got last week. Of course, the added volume of recovered recyclables means that we'll have to expand the Vale recycling plant. The plans for that are also in the packet. Honestly, the expansion is pretty pricey, but remember that it'll create jobs and that the increased recycling will save Vale money and landfill space in the long run. That's why I really think this is an investment worth making."

Blake listened to the speech, her mouth dropping open. Yang was so…eloquent. She managed to sound rehearsed without becoming robotic, and her natural charisma shone through as always. Blake hated to admit it, but she was impressed.

"An excellent proposal Councilwoman Xiao Long," Oobleck said after Yang had sat back down. "We must protect the environment as best we can, and as such you certainly have my vote." Blake smiled. Yang only needed one more vote at this point.

"Now hold on just a minute," Port said. "Dear child—" Yang frowned slightly at the use of the word "child"—"we've seen Vale survive this long without recycling! I myself love a good old fashioned dumpster, and my constituents do as well. Why, when I was a boy, I had to walk 10 miles just to—"

"Yes, Councilman, we know," Goodwitch interrupted wearily. "However, I agree with you on this. While recycling is important, we simply don't have the money to expand the plant, at least not right now." Blake bit her lip. Goodwitch had a fair point. She glanced at Yang and was surprised to see a sly smile on the other woman's face. Before she could ponder further, Ironwood spoke up.

"Maybe you're right, but we can't just do nothing," he said firmly. "I wasn't elected to this council to sit around and talk." Goodwitch narrowed her eyes at him. Yang watched the proceedings with an ill-concealed grin.

"I vote no," Goodwitch stated, glaring straight at Ironwood.

"Well then I vote yes," Ironwood replied, glaring right back.

"Yes from me of course," Yang said. "Gentlemen?"

"I still must say 'nay'," Port responded.

"And I vote yes," Oobleck finished. "So I believe your proposal passes, Councilwoman Xiao Long." He sent her a nod and a smile. Yang was positively beaming as Goodwitch finished up the session. As soon as it was over, Goodwitch and Ironwood exited the room from opposite doors, both looking decidedly displeased. Port and Oobleck followed them a minute later, leaving Yang alone at her seat, rifling through some papers.

Blake stood up to slowly approach her while the remaining audience members filed out of the hall. The closer she got to Yang, the more nervous she became. Yang, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of Blake's presence, as she jotted a few things down in the margins of what looked like some sort of list. Blake bit her lip in agitation.

"I…I'LL TAKE IT!" Blake winced at the sound of her own voice. She hadn't expected to yell. Clearly Yang didn't expect it either. She sprang to her feet, knocking her chair to the floor and crying out a few expletives as she did so. They locked eyes and Blake felt her face heating up with embarrassment.

"I—I mean, you offered me a job last week and, um, I'd like to take it, please?" Blake's voice trailed off as she spoke, ending in a small squeak. Yang gave her the blankest look Blake had ever seen in her life.

"And you are?"

"Neverminditwasamistake," Blake blurted, turning around hastily to make a break for it. But before she could bolt out the door though, a hand snagged her wrist.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down Blake I'm just kidding!" Yang said, laughing at Blake's reaction. Her easy smile was immediately met with an unamused glare as Blake whirled back around.

"Seriously?" Blake said in a flat tone.

"I'm sorry, okay? You just looked so nervous I couldn't help myself," Yang explained, still struggling to contain her laughter. Blake rolled her eyes.

"You can't blame me when you pull shit like that," she replied. Yang grinned at that.

"Guess I can't," she said good-naturedly. "But yeah, all of my stupid jokes aside, you've got a job as my campaign aide! Congratulations!"

"Wait, don't you at least want my resume? An interview?" Blake sputtered, utterly confused by the flippant hiring process.

"Eh, I think 'News n' Stuff' speaks for itself," Yang said with a wink.

"Wha—" Blake started.

"C'mon, I gotta show you the 'headquarters'," Yang continued, grabbing Blake's wrist again to pull her into the hallway. Blake gave up on arguing, just allowing herself to be dragged up a flight of stairs and down a hall. The whole time, Yang kept a vice grip on Blake's wrist, and Blake found herself starting to appreciate the warm presence on her skin.

"Hey, Yang? How did you know Goodwitch and Ironwood would oppose each other?" Blake asked suddenly. Yang sent Blake a grin over her shoulder.

"Jimmy and Glynda? They've had tension for ages. And I mean all types of tension." Yang chuckled a little. "All I have to do is keep track of whether they're arguing or, y'know, getting along—" at this point she sent a wink over "—and I can get an almost guaranteed vote out of one or the other."

"That's…actually pretty intelligent," Blake admitted.

"And why do you sound so surprised by that?" Yang said with a laugh.

"Uhh…" Before Blake could formulate a response, Yang abruptly stopped, causing Blake to crash into her and get a face-full of blonde hair.

"We're heeere!" Yang sang out, pushing open a door with a flourish. Blake blinked, then followed her inside. It was a small but comfortable lobby, with a few soft looking chairs scattered around. Doors to what looked like offices were positioned along the walls and in the center was a receptionist desk. The woman at it, who Blake recognized as Ruby Rose from the press conference, perked up at the sound of the door opening.

"Hi sis, welcome back!" she said with a smile.

"Heya Rubles," Yang replied affectionately. "This is Blake, my new aide," she continued, gesturing vaguely in Blake's direction.

"Nice to meet you Blake!" Ruby chirped, zipping out of her seat and up to the door almost impossibly fast.

"Yang was really hoping you would take the job," she added as she shook Blake's hand. Blake smirked at the comment, glancing at Yang, who turned a very light shade of pink.

"Of course I did, seeing what I have to work with around here," she muttered, running a hair through her thick hair.

"It's very nice to meet you too, Ruby," Blake said, ignoring Yang's comment. Ruby beamed up at her, and Blake started to see some of the family resemblance.

"Wanna cookie?" Ruby asked, basically teleporting back to her desk and conjuring a box from somewhere behind it.

"Uhh, no thanks," Blake answered. "Maybe later," she quickly added as Ruby's face fell. The young woman perked up immediately, nodding happily before going back to work.

Blake turned to Yang, who had been watching the exchange with a small smile on her face.

"What is it?" Blake asked.

"Nothing," Yang said, still smiling. "C'mon lemme show you the rest of it," she continued, beckoning for Blake to follow her.

"This one here is where Pyrrha and Jaune work when they're here. They're in Public Works but they cut back to part time to help with the campaign," Yang explained. "That's Qrow's office, that's the conference room, aaand this one's mine." She opened the door as she spoke, then pranced over to the desk.

"Check out the rolly chair," she said, dropping into it and spinning around like a 5 year old.

"Hold on, is that it?" Blake asked, steadfastly ignoring her antics. "Only five of you for this whole campaign?"

"Well, six now," Yang replied, grinning again. "And it's not like we have much competition… The next closest candidate is that Peach lady and I don't think anyone's even seen her. If Ozpin had endorsed me this thing would've already been over." Blake frowned slightly.

"Don't you think you're being a little overconfident? There's still time for more candidates to announce their campaigns."

"Eh, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," Yang said with a shrug. "For now I'm just enjoying my 25 point lead in the polls and—"

"Yaaaang!" Ruby's voice cut in from the lobby area.

"Ruby? What's wrong?" Yang called, her eyebrows creasing with worry as she stood up.

Blake turned to the door just as Ruby came barreling in, nearing knocking Blake over as she did.

"Whoops, sorry Blake! Yang, look." Ruby shoved her phone in Yang's direction. Blake approached from behind them, peering over Yang's shoulder to see the video.

The sound was off but she could see a tall man with carefully gelled gray hair talking. The caption read: "Mercury Black Announces Mayoral Candidacy."

"Well goddammit," Yang muttered.

"What happened?" Qrow's voice rang out from the door. "I heard this one yelling." He gestured at Ruby with his head.

"Mercury Black is running for mayor," Yang answered with a scowl.

"Marcus Black's son? Shit."

"I guess this means it's time to step up the campaign," Blake added. "Don't trip crossing the bridge," she continued, smirking a little at Yang. Yang looked at Blake in surprise.

"Ooh, feisty. And how would you suggest we 'step it up' Miss Belladonna?" she questioned, smirking right back. But Blake was prepared for that one.

"First of all, you need to behave more professionally in public. Your council speech was a good start, apart from you arriving late."

"But I have a good excuse for that! I was—" Yang began.

"Not done talking," Blake cut in. Yang immediately shut her mouth, eliciting a giggle from Ruby and a half-smile from Qrow.

"You need to change your campaign slogan. 'Vote Xiao Long and you won't go wrong' belongs in a high school student council election." Yang scoffed a little but kept quiet. "Just do 'Yang 2016' or something," Blake continued. "And obviously we need to fundraise, starting with the gala in a couple weeks."

"Right," Ruby added. "And I could use some more help organizing that."

"That's what I'm here for," Blake said with a smile. "And were you listening?" she aimed at Yang as Ruby darted out of the room and back to her desk.

"To every word," Yang replied smoothly. "I will have to redo the buttons though…And the posters. And my tattoo." Blake couldn't stop herself from giggling at that one.

"Better get on that then," she said when she had recovered her composure. She gave Qrow a nod before turning to exit the room.

Yang watched her leave with a goofy smile plastered across her face.

"Careful there, firecracker," Qrow drawled beside her. Yang rolled her eyes.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked defensively.

"Kid, I like having some eye candy on the team just as much as you do, but you can't be chasing after girls right now. Especially not your campaign aides."

"I—I'm not chasing!" Yang protested. But Qrow just shrugged and left the room, leaving Yang standing by herself, openmouthed.

 **AN: Wow okay this one ended up longer than I anticipated. Sorry for the delay again I swear I'll figure out some form of schedule one day..**

 **But hey, wouldya look at that, we finally got to the plot! Thanks for sticking with it guys, this is where the story starts picking up :)**

 **Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading 3**


	4. Chapter 4

Blake quickly settled into the flow of things around Yang's office. She worked mostly with Ruby, planning the public gala which was fast approaching. Pyrrha, who was as kind as she was intelligent, and Jaune, who…tried his best, helped out whenever they were available. Qrow handled the advertising, plastering "Yang 2016" on billboards, posters, and a variety of merchandise for campaign supporters to buy. He also kept Yang on a tight schedule of public appearances and interviews, although she still found a way to stop by the office several times a day.

Almost every morning, she would poke her head in with a chipper, "How's it yangin'?" and offer everybody some donuts or pastries from Ren's Diner, which she referred to as, "the greatest restaurant in the universe." Once she mixed it up by bringing in sorbet, sparking a heated debate about what exactly the difference was between sorbet, sherbet, and sorbetto.

"For the last goddamn time, IT'S ALL THE SAME THING," Jaune yelled in his comical upset voice.

"Maybe for an uncultured SWINE," Yang shot back.

"I think Jaune's right," Blake said calmly. "It's the same word in different languages." Yang whirled on Blake with a hurt expression.

"Blake…how could you turn on me like this?" she practically whimpered. Blake sighed heavily.

"I suppose there may be a slight difference between them," she admitted.

"AHA!" Yang said triumphantly. "Suck on that Jaune!"

"I don't care what it's called, it's deliiicious," Ruby stated, wolfing down her serving of sorbet. "Ahh, brainfreeze!"

"Pyrrha! Is there a difference?" Jaune demanded, totally ignoring Ruby's plight.

"I believe sherbet is made with milk," Pyrrha explained. "I'm not sure about the difference between sorbet and sorbetto…though I personally like sorbetto the best." Jaune frowned, clearly not pleased with the answer. Yang, however, was deep in thought.

"So," she began, "would you say that it's the…sor-best-o?"

Reactions to the godawful pun included aggressive face-palming (Jaune), throwing things at the perpetrator (Ruby), leaving the room (Pyrrha), and ill-disguised giggling (Blake).

"What the hell is going on out here?" Qrow grumbled, sticking his head into the room. In unison, Ruby, Blake and Jaune pointed at Yang.

"Uhh, I gotta go!" Yang said hastily, darting out of range of her disgruntled campaign manager.

Today though, Yang hadn't stopped by the office at all, and Blake found herself missing the vibrant presence. She stood alone in Yang's office, taking a break from gala planning to stare out of the window. The heat wave had finally passed, and it was a cool, though windy, morning, the trees swaying with each gust of air. Blake really enjoyed such weather, though it was apparently too cold for Yang already.

"Ugh, what happened to the summer?" Yang had griped a few days prior.

"Yang, it's in the sixties," Blake said, not looking up from her laptop. She was sitting at a desk in Yang's office, which had been moved in specifically for her use.

"Freezing." With a shake of her head, Yang leaned on Blake's desk, dramatically shivering.

"I personally think the weather is quite nice. Much better than it was in July, anyway," Blake said, finally looking at Yang.

"Ooh, can't stand the heat, Blakey?" Yang grinned and Blake raised an eyebrow.

"…Blakey?"

"I understand, I tend to have that effect of people," Yang said with a wink.

"That line's about a thousand years old."

Blake smirked. "You'll have to try a lot harder than that to flirt with me." She leaned back, satisfied, as Yang's cheeks and ears immediately turned an amazing magenta color.

"Wha—I'm not…I-I wasn't…uh.." Yang stammered, backing away as she did so. "YOU'RE a thousand years old!" She finally yelled, whirling around and slamming face-first into the door. Blake couldn't help it. She burst out laughing harder than she had in years.

"Are—Are you okay?" Blake asked when she had recovered, making her way over to the door.

"Fine," Yang grumbled, still a little flustered. Blake delicately took Yang's face in her hands, the skin warm to her touch.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Yang asked, her eyebrows rocketing up in surprise, although she made no move to step away.

"Calm down Yang, I'm just checking to make sure you didn't break your nose," Blake explained. "That would be a little too rugged, even for you."

"Very funny," Yang muttered, the corners of her mouth twitching up despite herself. Blake gently pressed Yang's nose with her thumbs, marveling at how soft her skin was. Suddenly unable to make eye contact, Blake found herself staring at the light freckles dusted on Yang's nose and cheeks, only visible from this close distance.

"Pretty cute, right?" Yang's voice jolted Blake out of her stupor.

"Huh?" she asked intelligently.

"I was saying, it was kinda cute the way I walked into that door, right?" Yang said, undeterred.

"Um, sure Yang," Blake responded, still somewhat dazed.

"Would you say it was…A-door-able?"

Blake shoved the idiot back into the door.

Now, Blake rested her fingertips on the windowsill, a small smile working its way onto her face. In spite of all her stupidity, Yang actually worked really hard. She was always busy with campaigning or her council duties, and yet she never seemed to get bogged down in the stress of her job. It was inspiring, although Blake would never say so.

"Wondering when your husband will return from war?"

Blake jumped a foot in the air and turned to see Ruby standing in the doorway.

"Seriously, what are you thinking about?" she asked innocently.

"Nothing," Blake said quietly. "Do you need any help?"

"Well, I'd love to get these guys for the gala," Ruby replied, holding up a poster of four clearly testosterone-rich young men, two of whom weren't wearing shirts for some reason.

"S-S-S-N?" Blake read off the sheet. Ruby giggled.

"It's pronounce 'Sun'," she explained. "You haven't heard of them? They're the most popular band in the country right now."

"I mostly listen to classical," Blake admitted.

"That's cool!" Ruby said, ever positive. "But for real, I came to tell you Yang's interview is about to come on if you wanna watch."

"Right," Blake responded, following Ruby back to the lobby. Jaune and Pyrrha were already clustered around Ruby's computer, and Blake and Ruby quickly joined them. This was Yang's first appearance on Vale's most popular talk show: Vale Today with Neon Katt. Yang hadn't seemed nervous about the interview, although Blake knew that Neon was a little…confrontational. Ruby was certainly jumpier than usual as the ad break ended and the Vale Today graphic popped up. On screen, Yang and Neon sat in comfy looking armchairs, a low table in front on them. Yang sat with one leg crossed, smiling leisurely as Neon appeared to laugh at something she had said.

"Good start sis," Ruby whispered, watching intently.

"Goood morning Vale!" Neon said, looking up and waving cheerily. "Today we have with us Councilwoman Yang Xiao Long, here to talk about her campaign for mayor and, more importantly, why she wears such sexy outfits!"

"What?!" Blake and Yang said in unison.

"Well, there goes that," Jaune muttered.

"Come on Councilwoman," Neon said with a wink. "You've gotta know the effect that your extensions and…top-heaviness have on our poor male audience."

"What the hell," Blake said through gritted teeth.

"Yang's gonna lose it," Jaune groaned.

"She's not gonna lose it!" Ruby protested.

"I think she's losing it," Pyrrha stated glumly.

Indeed, Yang actually seemed to be growling at Neon.

"First of all, and let me be crystal clear about this" she began, holding up her pointer finger inches from Neon's face. "I don't have extensions." Then, amazingly, Yang smiled.

"This is all natural," she continued, tossing her hair dramatically and eliciting chuckles from both the audience and Neon herself. "And anyway, you're one to talk with that on your head," she said, gesturing at Neon's rainbow colored hair. "Looks great, by the way."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Councilwoman," Neon replied, though she looked rather pleased with the compliment. "Let's talk about your campaign, shall we?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Yang said with a grin.

"Excellent," Neon said, immediately diving in. "Your main opposition, Mercury Black, has already begun attacks on you. Just last night, his campaign manager Cinder Fall referred to you as 'young and inexperienced,' criticism that you've faced throughout your career. How do you respond?"

"Well, I gotta admit, I am young. Sorry about that folks, I can't really help it," Yang said with a shrug, drawing some laughter from the audience. "But I'd say that young doesn't necessarily mean inexperienced. I've been involved in local government here in Vale for 8 years, starting with an internship in high school. And that's 8 years longer than Mercury Black has. Sure, he's a CEO, but that doesn't prepare him for a political career. Meanwhile, I'm head of the subcommittee of Public Health, and I've passed initiatives to educate at-risk youth, to keep our parks clean, and to increase recycling volume, just to name a few. I can promise that I'm committed to continue making Vale a better place, just as I have for almost a decade now."

The audience clapped enthusiastically as Yang finished speaking, and Neon nodded approvingly.

" _Fuck yes_ ," Blake said, clenching a hand into a fist. The others looked at her in surprise.

"Somebody's been spending too much time with Yang," Pyrrha teased. Blake gave her a look.

"Quiet, I'm trying to watch this," she responded, turning away to hide her blush. She focused on the show, where Neon was currently in the middle of a sentence.

"—issues in this campaign. One is the controversy over Beacon Park. Here's what Mercury Black had to say." A television beside Yang and Neon lit up to show Mercury giving a speech.

"After my father's untimely death, I've had to step up and be CEO of the second largest company in the Vale area. So trust me when I say that I understand the struggles of running a business, from the smallest to the largest," he paused to flash a toothy smile. "Black Industries has always been a friend to both Vale and to the Schnee Company. Obviously it's unfortunate that the park has to go, but the new Schnee factory will provide jobs and stimulate our economy. As a businessman, I'm more than willing to part with a few trees for the good of our livelihoods and of our children."

"Always gotta bring in the children," Jaune quipped.

"Shh!" Blake and Ruby hissed together at him. Blake leaned in closer to hear Yang's response.

"Look, I get why we need this factory, I really do, but there's gotta be a better place to build it than on the largest park in Vale," Yang said solemnly. "Beacon Park has been around for decades. As a kid, my mom used to take me and my sister there every weekend. It was the only place with green that we could walk to. And taking that experience away from the next generation—frankly, it's irresponsible. We need to try harder, and we need to be better than that." This answer elicited even louder applause and cheers from the audience.

"So, what's your alternative then?" Neon asked. The audience was dead silent as Yang thought for a few seconds.

"I'm working on it," she said finally. "In fact, I'll be meeting with Weiss Schnee this afternoon to discuss options. There are a lot of factors to consider but I'm confident that we can find a solution," Yang finished smoothly.

"Will you promise to save the park though?" Neon asked aggressively.

"Uhh—" Yang started, clearly apprehensive.

"You did just say that you're committed to making Vale better," Neon reminded her.

"I did, but promises like that are—"

"SAVE THE PARK! SAVE THE PARK!" Neon chanted. Almost immediately, the audience joined in. Yang bit her lip, and Blake noticed her start to viciously pick at her nails. As the chanting grew louder, Yang set her jaw, her eyes lighting up in determination.

"I WILL." The audience grew quiet at her words. "I promise you all, the citizens of Vale, that I will get the factory moved and save Beacon Park!" The applause that erupted was thunderous.

"And that's all the time we have!" Neon said cheerfully. "Thank you for joining us Councilwoman! Flynt, take it away!" With that, the camera panned to Flynt Coal and his jazz group as they began playing a fast-paced tune.

"Well," Jaune said when Ruby had closed out of the program. "This is either gonna be really good or really bad."

"Yang can do it," Blake said firmly.

"She's right," Ruby agreed. "Now let's get ready for this afternoon."

They were still tidying up the office when Yang and Qrow arrived 20 minutes later.

"Chill ouuut, Qrow," Yang was saying. "It's fine, we have plenty of time to work something out with the Ice Queen." Qrow didn't look pleased.

"Doesn't matter," he said gruffly. "Point is, you can't be so impulsive if you want to be in office."

"…Eh." Yang shrugged him off. "How's it yangin' in here?" she asked, addressing the group. Blake smiled at the familiar pun. Ruby rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.

"When are you gonna stop making that joke?' she asked in exasperation.

"Dearest sister: it's a pun, not a joke. Also, never." Yang grinned. "Besides, Blake likes it."

"Don't drag me into this," Blake said, raising her arms in surrender.

"Anyway, we _were_ getting this place ready for Weiss before you showed up to distract everyone." Ruby glared pointedly at her sister.

"Right, right, sorry," Yang said, not sounding remorseful in the slightest. She checked her watch. "We've got 15 minutes, it'll be fiiine." Ruby frowned.

"Everything has to be organized, that's really important to Weiss," she said seriously.

"How do you know so much about her?" Blake asked. Ruby seemed caught off guard by the question.

"Huh? O-oh, we went to high school together," she answered. "I don't think she knew I existed though…" Ruby trailed off, her features taking on a downright wistful expression that Blake had never seen before. The wistfulness persisted for the next 15 minutes until Weiss Schnee arrived at 11:00 am, on the dot.

Blake knew about the Schnee Company CEO, and had even seen her a few times, although they had never directly interacted. However, Weiss had quite the reputation, known throughout Vale as the "Ice Queen" for her cold demeanor. She certainly lived up to her name as she swept gracefully into the office lobby, giving her surroundings an unimpressed glance before striding up to Ruby's desk. Ruby leapt to her feet in panic.

"Hi Weiss! Er, Miss Schnee! You probably don't remember me, but I'm Ruby Rose! We, uh, we went to high school together." Ruby thrust a hand out to shake, looking rather flustered. Weiss was silent for a long moment, staring first at the hand in front of her, then up at the offending party. Ruby stared back down at the smaller woman, turning redder and redder as Blake looked on.

"Miss Schnee?" Blake called, deciding to help Ruby out. "Right this way please," she continued, waving Weiss over.

"Finally," Weiss said haughtily. "Somebody halfway competent." She stalked past Ruby, who remained frozen, her entire face a bright red color. Blake frowned a little at the rude comment.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Schnee. My name is Blake Belladonna and—"

"Didn't ask."

Blake paused, taken aback by the statement.

"Wha—excuse me?" she stammered.

"I said, I didn't ask for your name," Weiss repeated coolly. "Now, where is that dolt Xiao Long?" Blake fought the urge to slap the other woman in the face.

"She's right here in the conference room," Blake answered, managing to keep her tone relatively cordial.

"Great." Weiss didn't even bother to mask her disinterest. Blake trailed behind her as she strolled into the room. Yang and Qrow were sitting together, talking in low voices when they entered. Yang immediately stood up and gave Weiss a wide smile.

"Hi there Miss Schnee, can I call you Weiss? Thanks so much for stopping by!" Yang stuck a hand out to shake, making the same tragic mistake as Ruby.

"You may call me Miss Schnee," Weiss said in a monotone, ignoring the hand and moving past Yang to take a seat as far away as possible from Qrow, to whom she sent an unfriendly glare. Blake rolled her eyes and started to exit the room when Yang shot out a hand to stop her. Blake gave her a questioning glance.

"Stay. Please," Yang whispered, quiet enough that Weiss and Qrow couldn't hear. Blake nodded, following Yang and taking a seat beside her, diagonal from Weiss.

"So, Miss Schnee, I—" Yang started.

"No."

"Uhh…"

"The only reason I spent my valuable time coming to this"—Weiss paused to search for a suitable word—" _hovel_ , is to tell you personally, and for the only time, that I will not be altering any plans for the upcoming Schnee factory." Yang opened her mouth to speak but Weiss simply held up a hand to stop her. "Nothing you can say or do will change my mind." Weiss locked eyes with Yang. "So stop trying," she snapped, standing up abruptly. Yang rocketed to her feet as well.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" she said, holding up her hands. "Politics and business don't have to be enemies y'know. I get that you've only been CEO for a little while, and I know it can't be easy, but at least _listen_ to what I have to say before you make a choice." Yang offered another warm smile. Weiss looked entirely unimpressed.

"Don't be distasteful," she said scornfully. "I've already made my decision." Yang's smile faded.

"If you destroy this park, you'll be making a lot of people upset. And you may not care about that, but your company's stock definitely will," Yang said, trying to appeal to Weiss' reason.

"Please, as if a bimbo such as yourself could possibly understand the economic repercussions of this development." Weiss smirked to herself. "I've already done cost-benefit personally, and this is clearly the best choice. Not that you'd understand that."

Yang seemed to be physically steaming. Blake was on her feet in a second, laying a hand on Yang's arm to stop her from literally biting Weiss' head off.

"You do know that Yang minored in business in college, right?" Blake asked, smirking back at the Ice Queen. "She understands plenty. But it is pretty embarrassing for you to be so ignorant going into a meeting." Weiss looked like she had just swallowed a lemon. She quickly recovered though.

"I see you need your _assistant_ to do your job for you," she taunted, addressing Yang. "Only slightly less incompetent than your dolt of a sister."

"YOU—" Yang started, but stopped at a head shake from Qrow. Yang took a deep breath, fighting to regain her composure.

"Miss Schnee. Surely you see the value in keeping Beacon Park," she said calmly. "And compromising with us won't make you weak, I promise! If anything, it'll show everybody that you're strong enough to do what's right for Vale, not just for yourself." Weiss was silent. Yang attempted to smile.

"Uh, so, whaddya say? Should we start over?" she asked, her voice taking on a hopeful tone. Weiss looked her dead in the eye.

"I see no value in Beacon Park," she stated flatly. "Go complain to your mother about it." Yang's eyes flashed and she darted around the table before Qrow or Blake could stop her. She stopped right in front of Weiss, towering above the slight woman and jabbing a finger at her chest.

"My mom's dead and you know it, ya little—"

"So is mine." Weiss cut her off. "The difference is that I don't broadcast that fact in a pathetic attempt to scrape together some votes." Yang clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles showed white.

"You—Gah! Why are you so—so—difficult?!" Yang erupted, taking a step forward.

"Why are you so childish?" Weiss shot back, standing her ground. They were only inches away now.

"BRAT"

"BRUTE"

With that, Weiss turned around primly and proceeded to exit the office.

"Wait! Weeeiiiss!" Blake heard Ruby's hapless cry from the hallway.

Yang growled in frustration, pounding a fist on the table so hard that it shook.

"Well, you fucked that one up," Qrow said, shrugging. Yang didn't acknowledge him, instead storming out of the room. The door to her office shut with a slam. Blake gave Qrow a glare.

"Seriously? That's what you think of to say to her?" she questioned angrily. Qrow shrugged again.

"I didn't mean it like that. Sometimes things go wrong, and she has to learn to deal with it." Blake frowned.

"Well, she doesn't have to do it alone," she replied. As Qrow paused to consider that, Blake wandered out of the conference room, making her way to Yang's door. Ruby appeared to have followed Weiss out, since her desk was noticeably empty. Pyrrha and Jaune stuck their heads out into the lobby.

"I gather that could have gone better," Pyrrha commented morosely.

"Yeah," Blake sighed. She raised a hand to lightly knock on the door in front of her. A muffled "fuck off Qrow" came from inside. Blake sighed again, turning the handle and entering slowly. Yang was sitting on the floor in front of her desk, leaning back against the wood as though she had literally collapsed there.

"Oh…Sorry Blake," she said, turning slightly pink.

"It's fine," Blake replied, closing the door behind her and approaching the desk. "Can I sit?"

"Sure, knock yourself out." Yang shrugged. "Didn't think you'd want to see me after that meltdown," she said, shaking her head. Blake dropped to the floor beside her.

"Don't be stupid, Yang," she said. "I was a second away from doing the same thing." Yang was silent for a moment, picking savagely away at her cuticles. Finally she spoke.

"I guess it's fine. I mean, you win some, you lose some, right? That's what Qrow says anyway…" Yang trailed off, staring at her fingers as she continued to claw at herself. Blake grabbed her hands.

"Stop it." Her voice was barely audible. "It's okay if you're not alright, you know? You're allowed to feel shitty sometimes." Yang pulled her hands away.

"No, I'm not," she said, eyes still stubbornly looking downward. "I'm supposed to be energetic and happy, that's my whole appeal. And that's who I am now. My public image—that's all there is."

"Yang. Look at me," Blake commanded. Yang couldn't resist if she wanted to. Glancing up, she met the piercing golden gaze. "You. Are so much more than you seem. Over these past few weeks, I've realized that. And you don't have to hide or change yourself. At least, not when you're with me." Blake grimaced internally. She had meant to sound inspiring, but as always, words failed her. It seemed like words were failing Yang as well, who simply stared at Blake for what felt like years. Then, she hugged her.

Blake gasped slightly, completely shocked by the sudden feeling of the warm face buried in her shoulder, of the soft hair brushing against her chin, of the surprisingly muscular arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

Then, she shocked herself even more by hugging back. She gently wrapped her own arms around Yang, running a comforting hand through her thick blonde hair.

They stayed like that for a long moment, until Yang finally pulled away with a soft smile on her face.

"Thanks Blake," she said. They smiled at each other. Then—

"Yang, you're bleeding."

"Huh?" Yang looked down at her fingers. "Oh, you're right." Her left index finger was slightly bloody from where she had been picking at it. Wiping it on her pants, she shrugged at Blake.

"It's fine, just a habit," she explained.

"You shouldn't do that," Blake murmured. "Here, try this." Pulling her pen out of her pocket, she handed it to Yang, who stared at it quizzically.

"Okay, I give up. It's a nice pen?" Yang offered. She wasn't wrong. Blake's pen was thin and sleek, with a glossy though worn black finish and a silver symbol on it resembling a burning flower.

"It's what I use to relieve stress," Blake stated simply. Yang quirked an eyebrow.

"Kinda thin for a dildo, don't ya think?"

"YANG!" Blake turned bright red, smacking the cackling idiot, who tried halfheartedly to get away.

"Seriously though, how does this help?" Yang questioned. Blake huffed, still slightly annoyed.

"Like this." She snatched the pen back and proceeded to twirl it like a pro. Yang's eyes grew wide, watching intently as Blake dexterously spun the pen around each of her knuckles in turn, weaving it expertly through her long fingers.

"Holy shit," she breathed when Blake was done. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Just kinda…picked it up I guess." Blake shrugged, slightly embarrassed by the attention.

"Badass. And I never thought I'd say that about a writing utensil," Yang laughed. Blake smiled at her, hoping that Yang couldn't see how hot her face felt.

"So, uhh, can you teach me?" Yang asked, sounding entirely adorable.

"O-of course," Blake stuttered. "Just hold it like this…" She placed the pen in Yang's hand, trying not to shake as she gently moved her fingers into a proper grip.

"And push down here when you're ready to spin it," Blake said.

"Right." Yang stuck out her tongue, entirely focused on her task. Blake found her breath catching in her throat as she looked on.

Yang pushed down as Blake had shown her, and…the pen flew straight out of her hand, whirling around rapidly as it made a graceful arc through the air to land solidly at the other side of the room.

They stared at the offending instrument for a moment before they burst out laughing in unison.

"Well, the good news is you got it to spin," Blake said, still chuckling lightly.

"Hell yeah I did. Looked like a helicopter on fire," Yang replied with a grin. "And I love fire."

"Of course you do." Blake smiled fondly. "So, wanna try again?"

"Obviously," Yang said with a smirk, springing up to retrieve the pen. "And this time I'll get it better than you, Belladonna." Blake smiled wider.

"Sure, Yang."

 **AN: These keep getting longer and longer smh..**

 **Well, Weiss finally showed up! Thanks so much for reading you guys :) Any reviews, complaints, or feedback will be greatly appreciated**

 **Have a fantastic day!**


	5. Chapter 5

Blake stood beside Yang's desk, tapping her foot anxiously. She bit her lip nervously, watching intently as Yang twirled the tips of her hair around her fingers. She held a phone up to her ear with the other hand, calmly listening to the person on the line.

"Alright, thanks!" Yang finally said, hanging up the phone.

"Well?" Blake asked immediately. Yang waited a long moment, the blank expression on her face effectively driving Blake crazy.

"Did you get SSSN?" Blake prompted further. She buzzed with excitement, knowing that this could be huge for the gala. Slowly, Yang's mouth curled up into a smile.

"Yep," she stated proudly, her grin only growing as Blake hugged her tightly. A second later, Blake pulled away, looking rather sheepish.

"I…got excited, sorry," she mumbled.

"That's pretty cute," Yang said candidly, turning a little pink. Blake felt her face heating up as well. But before she could think of a response, there was a knock at the door. They both turned to look as Qrow stuck his head in, looking slightly disgruntled.

"Yang, we have a—"

"IT'S A CRISIS," Ruby cried, barging into the room behind Qrow.

"Well, not yet," Pyrrha chimed in. Jaune followed her in, shaking his head and looking vaguely ill. Yang looked between the four of them.

"By all means, come in," she deadpanned.

"What's the crisis?" Blake asked.

"Okay, I guess Pyrrha's right, it's not a crisis yet," Ruby backtracked with a nervous laugh.

"I'll handle this, kid," Qrow said to her fondly. He then focused his attention on Blake and Yang. "Basically, there've been outbreaks of a new strain of flu, G1R1, in areas close to Vale."

"They call it the _Grimm Flu_ ," Jaune said with a shiver.

"And unfortunately, they say it's more common near bodies of water," Pyrrha added. "Like, say, Lake Signal." Yang cringed.

"Shit. It hasn't spread to Vale, right?" she asked. Qrow shook his head.

"News only just broke," he explained. "No reported cases so far." Yang sighed heavily, standing up.

"Damn, I've gotta get ahead of this," she muttered.

"It's going to be fine, Yang," Blake said softly, laying a hand on Yang's to stop her from picking at her nails again. Yang shot her a grateful smile.

"Yeah, I know." She paused to take a deep breath, giving Blake's hand a squeeze to reassure herself.

"Okay team, let's do some research on this, figure out what to do, then call a press conference so the public doesn't, y'know, freak out," Yang commanded. "I'd like to do it at the lake if possible cause frankly I don't buy that 'water transmission' bullshit."

"Aye, captain!" Ruby saluted. The others nodded their approval and filed out of the room. When they were gone, Yang turned to Blake, noticing a sly smile on her face.

"What?" she prompted.

"That was very take-charge of you," Blake complimented. Then she let out an uncharacteristic giggle. "You can let go of my hand now, though."

"AH." Yang immediately dropped her hand, a bright pink hue spreading from her ears down her face. She coughed, trying to disguise her embarrassment.

"W-Well, I am head of the council Public Health subcommittee. I've gotta be prepared for this type of stuff."

"Right. Stuff," Blake said innocently. "Like, holding my hand?" Yang's entire body radiated heat.

"Oookay calm down Belladonna, I've got work to do," she said, fighting mightily to control her blushing. Blake gave her a smirk but stopped her teasing.

"I'm so Belladone," Yang breathed.

"What was that?" Blake asked.

"Uhh, nothing."

Luckily, Blake dropped it and Yang was able to focus on research for the next hour. After speaking to some experts, she concluded that the panic over the flu was greatly exaggerated. As expected, the water transmission rumor was totally false. And while the disease was quite contagious, it was easy to treat and recover from.

That afternoon, Yang stood on the docks by Lake Signal, sharing the information with the public. It was an unseasonably cold day, and the gusting wind coming off the water made Yang shiver slightly.

"So, as you can see, there's no reason for panic over this," she explained to the crowd. "Obviously, take precautions to stay healthy, but quarantine is unnecessary." Cameras flashed and reporters scribbled down notes. Yang flashed her trademark smile.

"Any questions?" she asked. Immediately, a woman with dark hair raised a hand. Yang gasped when she realized who it was.

"Cinder Fall…" she whispered under her breath. Beside her, Qrow scowled a little. Yang turned her head a little the other way to exchange a glance with Blake, who looked similarly worried.

Yang took a breath and cleared her throat.

"Yes?" she questioned.

Well," Cinder began with a smirk. "Why are you so intent in glossing over this, hm?" Yang blinked in surprise.

"Look, I'm not glossing over sh—anything, I assure you," she answered sincerely. "Everything I've said is true."

"True according to you," Cinder said, her smirk unshakeable. Yang's confusion was palpable.

"Wha—no, true according to the experts that I've spent all day consulting." She maintained direct eye contact with the irritating woman. "Scientifically backed, Miss Fall," Yang continued with a wink.

"Politicians always say that," Cinder responded, seeming to address the crowd more than Yang herself. "Personally, I've seen multiple reports confirming that Grimm Flu is already crawling through Lake Signal."

"Viruses don't crawl," Yang grumbled. Cinder ignored her.

"Even simply standing here is a hazard to our health." The crowd started to shift nervously.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" A masculine voice called out. A large, angry-looking man with dark orange hair starting making his way to Yang's podium.

"Some of us have children! Not me, but some of us!" He yelled angrily. Yang groaned internally as she recognized him: Cardin Winchester, the dull, anger-prone football quarterback from high school. As he charged forward, Blake swiftly positioned herself between him and Yang.

Without hesitation, Yang moved closer to her, rather impressed by Blake's courage.

"Sir, please back away," Blake said calmly. Cardin scoffed, shoving her out of the way…and off of the pier.

Yang watched in slow motion as Blake started to fall. She acted automatically, and before her mind could catch up she grabbed Blake's hand, yanking her around her own body and back to safety. For a second, Yang felt relief gushing through her as Blake regained her footing. The feeling was short lived, as Yang realized that in the process of helping Blake, she had lost her own balance.

Yang still managed to send a wink and a smirk as she staggered off the pier and fell straight into the lake with a splash.

It was even colder than the air outside, and when a disoriented Yang opened her eyes, the murky water stung painfully. She squeezed them back closed.

"YANG!" Blake's voice cut through the sound of water rushing past her ears. Yang fought to the surface of the lake, shocked at how cold the water was. Her head broke the surface and she coughed a little, water dripping out of her drenched hair into her eyes. Blinking rapidly, Yang looked up at the pier. Qrow appeared to be physically restraining Blake from leaping into the water after Yang. Treading the cold water as best she could, Yang offered a grin to the cluster of reporters and citizens staring down at her.

"Told ya it was fine," she called.

After Qrow had dropped down a ladder for Yang to clamber up, she retook her spot on the podium.

"So," she started with a smile. "I believe I've demonstrated my belief in the water safety." There were a few chuckles at that. "Any other questions?"

The conference winded down soon after, and Cardin thankfully remained silent. Cinder, for her part, skulked off, presumably back to Black headquarters.

When it was finally over, Yang closed her eyes and let out a deep, whooshing breath. She felt a gentle touch on her arm.

"Yang, are you alright? You're shaking," Blake's soft voice drifted into her ears. Yang opened her eyes to meet Blake's, which were filled with concern.

"I'm fine," she responded with a small smile. "Just a little cold out here."

"Let's get you inside then," Qrow chimed in, wrapping a blanket that he had conjured from somewhere around Yang's shoulders. "You did good, kid," he added, giving her a sideways smile.

Yang smiled back at him and Blake, feeling great in every sense.

The next morning, she felt anything but.

Yang cracked open her eyes with a groan. Her head was throbbing and her throat felt like it had been stabbed. Multiple times. The asshole birds outside refused to respect her pain, chirping like there was no tomorrow. Yang buried her head under a pillow.

"Don't you have to fly South for the winter or something?" she grumbled into the blanket.

"Wait a minute…" Yang yanked her head out of the pillow, which ended up being a bad idea judging by the way her vision swam in response. She blinked a few times to try to clear it, staring at the clock on the nightstand. Slowly, the numbers came into view: 9:17. She was late.

Yang yelled a few choice expletives, jumping out of bed and immediately regretting it. Lights flickered behind her eyelids and she sat back down on the bed, holding her head in her hands.

"What the hell.." she groaned, trying to banish the worry and generally sick feeling in her stomach. Refusing to accept the obvious, Yang stubbornly got out of bed again. More slowly this time, she went about getting ready, all the while repeating the mantra "I'm not sick, I'm not sick, not sick, not—"

Yang stopped in front of the mirror, biting a lip at her appearance. Red face, runny nose, bloodshot eyes.

"Yikes," she whispered to herself. "No..not sick, not sick, not sick…" She splashed some water on her face hastily and continued her routine.

It was another 45 minutes before she made it to City Hall, groggily stumbling up the stairs and nearly ramming into Port as he exited the building.

"Why, hello there Yang! A lovely day, is it not?" he practically bellowed at her. Yang winced at the loud voice.

"Yeah," she droned emotionlessly."S'great." With that, she stepped around him to enter, ignoring his indignant muttering about "children these days." Yang flicked her hair out of her face and yanked the door open, fighting the urge to turn around and clock him in the throat.

She staggered into the office a few minutes later, over an hour late at this point. The first thing she saw was Blake leaning on Ruby's desk, talking softly to the younger woman about something. She was facing away from Yang, wearing cruelly tight black pants that immediately drew Yang's view downward.

If the fever was bad already, it was definitely worse now. With great effort, Yang drew her eyes away, blood rushing past her ears with every fast-paced beat of her heart. And when Blake turned around and saw Yang, she gave her a look that sent Yang's disease-ridden body into a frenzy.

"Yang!" Blake almost ran across the room to her. "Where were you? You've never actually been late before… We were worried," she explained, gesturing at herself and Ruby, who had followed her over to Yang.

"I, uhh.." Yang trailed off, unable to even form a coherent sentence.

"You okay, sis?" Ruby asked, worry streaked across her face. "You look a little…off."

"I'm fine," Yang mumbled. Blake frowned at that.

"No, you're not," she said firmly. "You look horrible."

"Blakeeeey, you don't think I'm pretty?" Yang asked, crestfallen.

"O-of course I do," Blake said quickly. "But right now you're obviously sick."

"Am not." Yang whined like a toddler, crossing her arms defensively.

"You are too," Ruby chimed in. "Listen to Blake, she knows what she's doing." Yang pouted at them both. Blake rolled her eyes, gently reaching out to place a cool hand on Yang's forehead.

"Shit," she muttered. "Yang, you're burning up."

"It's cause I burn for you, baby," Yang replied with a wink. Her suave moment was rudely interrupted by a vicious coughing fit. Blake quickly grabbed her arm to steady her.

"That's it, I'm taking you home," she said.

"Whoa, aren't you gonna buy me dinner first?" Yang gave her an absolutely shit-eating grin.

"Shut up." Blake turned, ignoring Yang's chuckling at her own joke. "Ruby, tell Qrow that Yang is sick. I'm taking her to the doctor and then home." Ruby hesitated.

"Do you want me to help? I can use the Ruby method: milk and cookies!" Blake stared at her for a moment, unsure if she was serious.

"I, um, I got this," she responded with a smile, turning back to deal with Yang.

"Alright!" Ruby called, dashing off to find Qrow.

"Yang, come on," Blake commanded, pushing the other woman towards the door.

"N-no," Yang protested weakly. "I've…I've gotta stay and help with the gala. They need me." She gave Blake a pleading look.

"Yang…I will force you," Blake threatened, completely unmoved. Yang shook her head quickly vigorously, having still not learned her lesson from earlier that morning.

"Ohhh. Shit," she managed to say, swaying for a moment. Her body was unbearably hot, and as her vision swam, she zeroed in Blake's concerned face in front of her. Her hazel eyes looked almost gold in the light. Strong arms grabbing her were the last thing Yang felt before her vision went black.

 **AN: Looks like things are getting...pretty Grimm :D (yes I hate myself)**

 **I've also gotta apologize yet again for taking forever to write this .**

 **Unfortunately things at school are rather...busy.. So I'm not sure when Part II of this chapter will happen but I'll do my best to get it out in the next couple weeks.**

 **I haven't given up on this story at all though! I've got Plans :3**

 **Leave a review if you'd like and thanks so much for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

Yang blearily opened her eyes, entirely unsure of where she was or what had happened. She seemed to be laying on a couch, although the room itself was unfamiliar. It was dark, the only light leaking in from a door to her right, which appeared to lead to a hallway. Straining her ears, she could hear muffled voices from beyond it.

She gathered her strength and slowly managed to haul herself into a sitting position. Feeling a twinge on her left arm, she squinted down at it and discovered a thin bandage around her forearm. She looked up at her surroundings with a frown. Her eyes had somewhat adjusted to the dark, and she could see the shape of a table, chairs, lamps, and a television in the room around her. Swinging her legs around, she braced herself to attempt to stand. Then she paused, hearing footsteps from outside growing louder. As she peered up at the door, it abruptly swung open.

"Yang?" A familiar voice called out. It moved closer and flicked on a lamp, bathing the room in dim light. Yang had never been so happy to see anyone in her life.

"Blake?" She croaked, then winced at the sound of her own voice. "Yikes, I sound awful." Blake just smiled softly at her. She was carrying a tray containing a tea pot and some cups, which she set on the table before approaching Yang.

"Thank goodness you're awake," she said quietly, sitting down beside Yang and, quite unexpectedly, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"Whoa, Blakey, it's okay," Yang said, patting her back. "I feel a lot better, I swear. How long was I out?" Blake pulled back and regarded Yang critically, as if searching closely for anything that may be wrong.

"All day. It's almost 6:00 now."

"WHAT?!" Yang leapt to her feet in surprise, then immediately sat back down and held her pounding head. "Dammit," she groaned. "I never learn."

Blake laid a gentle hand on her arm but spoke firmly. "Stop trying to move..idiot. Just listen." Once it stopped hurting, Yang raised her head to look at Blake.

"You passed out at the office this morning," she began.

"Yep, I remember." Yang chuckled, a little embarrassed.

"Well, I wanted to take you to the hospital, but Qrow thought it would start a panic because of the whole flu thing." Blake paused and made a noise that can only be described as a growl. "I was about to knock his teeth in but luckily Pyrrha stepped in. I didn't know she used to be a nurse."

"Yeah, right before she started working here," Yang stated.

"And she assured us that it was nothing serious, just exhaustion. And so we agreed to take you somewhere to rest and here was closest so…" Blake trailed off with a shrug.

"Where exactly is here?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.

"O-oh yeah. Welcome to my apartment," Blake said with a weak smile. "Sorry it wasn't under better circumstances."

There was silence for a long moment, then Yang cracked a grin.

"Hey, I thought I told you to take me out to dinner first?" Blake huffed but couldn't stop the wider smile growing on her face.

"You haven't told me the important thing yet though," Yang said, suddenly serious. "Do I have it? G1R1?" Blake bit her lip.

"I don't know. One of Pyrrha's doctor friends took some blood but the results aren't in yet."

Yang lightly touched the bandage on her arm. "Well that explains this," she muttered. A hand gently covered her own, and Blake's fingers quickly interlaced with her own.

"Hey. I'm sure it's fine," she said in a soothing voice.

"You don't know that." Yang tried to sound nonchalant but her voice was uncharacteristically weak. Blake gave her a concerned look but she refused to make eye contact.

"Have some tea, I'll get Qrow from the other room," Blake said finally, moving to stand. Yang's hand darted out and snagged the bottom of her shirt tightly.

"Uhh, can you maybe stay here a little longer? I just. I know what he's gonna say and I reeeaaally don't want to deal with it right now," Yang said, her eyes pleading. Blake knew she was a goner as soon as they made eye contact.

"Of course," she sighed, sitting back down. Yang sighed too, and Blake peered at her sideways. "You want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Well, no, more like everything." Yang attempted a chuckle. "I'm sure Qrow's pissed that I got myself sick, and if it is the Grimm Flu, I'm totally boned. Plus Schnee's being…Schnee. And I may have to go back on that Beacon Park promise, which is gonna suck. That park means a lot to me, and this town, y'know?" She waved her hands in frustration.

"Yang…"

"AND the gala is next weekend and there's so much to do and meanwhile here I am being useless as always." The hands formed fists.

"Yang."

"Maybe it's a sign that I'm not supposed to be doing this. I mean, Ozpin said some crap about doing it for the right reasons, what does that mean? God, should I just stop? Cause it feels like everything and everyone is against me and I…can't…uh, Blake, what're you doing?" Blake's steady, cool hands were holding Yang's face lightly, forcing her to look into those lovely gold eyes.

"Yang." One hand came up, brushing Yang's bangs back off her face, and as Blake inched closer, Yang felt her heartbeat skyrocketing.

"I need you to calm down," Blake said, though Yang could barely hear her through the blood pounding in her ears. Soft lips pressed down gently but firmly…on Yang's forehead.

"Mm, you definitely have a fever," Blake diagnosed, pulling away and leaving Yang in a daze.

"Everything you're stressed about, you've got a right to be stressed about," Blake continued. "But right now you need to focus on your health and getting better. Leave the gala to us, and don't worry about Weiss Schnee. We'll find a way around her, together." She paused and hesitantly took Yang's hand. "And as for giving up..Well, I didn't think Yang Xiao Long was the type to quit. Or did I get the wrong impression?"

Yang wiped the tears from her eyes and grinned.

"Nah, you're a great judge of character."

"That's what I thought," Blake said, a small smirk working it's way onto her face. "Now drink this." She thrust a teacup at Yang's face.

Yang sniffled a little and happily accepted the tea. "Thanks Blake."

For a few minutes they sat in silence, sipping the warm beverage.

"Blake?"

"Yeah?"

"What's up with that?" Blake followed Yang's pointing finger with her eyes and winced.

"It's…It's nothing." Blake's voice sounded hollow even to herself.

"Oookay well it looks like you duct taped some tarp to your wall which is kind of an odd thing to do for nothing, y'know?" Yang offered a crooked grin. Blake huffed a little. She had been hoping Yang wouldn't notice. But once again the woman proved to be more observant than she had expected.

"Fine. It's a hole, alright?"

"Blakey, please. First of all, that's what she said." Blake smacked her shoulder. "Second-of-ly, wanna tell me how it got there?" Blake crossed her arms and said nothing, suddenly very intent on studying the lamp beside them.

Once again, the door slammed open, and both of them jumped at least a foot in the air.

"Is everything okay? We heard noise and—Yang!" Ruby bounded across the room for a hug.

"Well, well. Looks like Sleeping Beauty is finally up," Qrow said from the doorway, although he allowed himself a smile. "Good to see you conscious, firecracker."

"Not gonna give me a lecture, old man?" Yang asked over Ruby's shoulder. Her sister had attached to her like some sort of parasitic organism.

"Me? Lecture?" Qrow feigned shock. "Nah, not this time. Your little stunt actually got us some good press for once. Even the Ice Queen was impressed."

"What?!" Blake and Yang spoke in unison.

"Yep, she called a couple minutes ago, apparently willing to come by again for an actual discussion."

"Well, that's a drastic change of heart," Blake said, sounding somewhat suspicious. Qrow shrugged.

"Don't look at me, it was Ruby she called." Ruby de-latched herself from her sister, looking a little sheepish.

"Yeah, I, um, just happened to run into Weiss a couple times and she's not that bad once you get to know her she's actually kinda nice?" Her voice got faster and higher in pitch as the sentence went on. The statement was met with three blank stares. Ruby laughed nervously.

"Just don't be too harsh on her, please?" she said, mostly to Yang.

"I'm never harsh, dear sister. I'm sweeter than honey, that's why they call me Goldilocks."

"That doesn't make any sense," Ruby muttered. Yang shot her a glare, but the sound of the doorbell interrupted any further bickering.

"I'll get it!" Ruby darted out of the room. A moment later she trotted back in with Pyrrha in tow, both of them beaming. Blake and Yang found themselves grinning back even before Pyrrha delivered the good news.

"Yang, you don't have the Grimm Flu," she said, her voice sounding quite angelic to all the occupants of the room. Impulsively, Yang grabbed Blake's hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

"All you have is a nasty cold, exacerbated by a lack of rest and being out in the cold," Pyrrha continued. She kept talking about it, but Yang suddenly wasn't listening. Blake was sitting _really_ close. And even through Yang's sinus issues, she smelled _really_ good. Yang blinked a couple times, trying to remember how breathing worked. She was acutely aware of every point of contact they shared: knees, thighs, hips, shoulders—was Blake leaning against her?

"Yang?"

"Wha-huh?" Yang jolted, sitting up very straight.

"I was saying you'll be fine in a couple days, but you need to take it easy, understand?" Pyrrha repeated patiently.

"Yeah, you're looking a little feverish sis," Ruby added.

"We shouldn't overcrowd her," Blake said, concerned. "Let me get some water and medicine for the fever." She stood up and Yang immediately missed her presence beside her.

"Guess that's my cue," Qrow drawled. "I'll be going then, kid. Call if you need anything." He nodded at Pyrrha. "Thanks for keeping this under wraps."

"Of course," Pyrrha replied amicably. "I'd better head out too. Take care, Yang!" She smiled warmly. "Ruby, would you like a ride to your place?" Ruby looked at Yang critically.

"Will you be okay here?" She asked her sister. Yang gave her a grin.

"Yep, I already feel much better," she responded. Ruby smiled broadly and went in for a hug. Pulling back, she softly kissed Yang's forehead.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?"

"I'll see what I can do," Yang said, smiling fondly.

There were a few more minutes of goodbyes as they filed out the door. Once the three were gone, the apartment seemed strangely quiet. Yang silently took the medicine Blake shoved her way and drank the water.

"You should get some more sleep," Blake murmured as she finished drinking. Yang shook her head.

"Nah, I'm not tired. And I really do feel better, I promise." She winked at her. Blake exhaled through her nose. Yang scanned the room, purposely ignoring the tarp area on the wall. Clearly Blake didn't want to talk about it.

"Ooh, I see you've got a Wii there. Got any good games?" Yang asked, her eyes lighting up. Blake couldn't hold back a laugh.

"How old are you again?" she questioned, incredibly relieved Yang seemed to have forgotten about the wall. "Anyway, I don't play much these days. But feel free to take a look." Yang rubbed her hands together in anticipation before standing up quickly to check it out. The blood drained from her face and she sat back down even faster.

"I _seriously_ never learn," she groaned, closing her eyes to fight the sudden dizziness.

"Yang?" Blake was at her side in an instant, rubbing her back gently.

"I'm alright…Thanks Blake." Yang cracked her eyes open and gave her a grateful smile. "Maybe video games isn't the best idea," she said with a laugh. "Hey, how bout you play something and I watch?"

Blake sighed. "Only if you promise to lay down."

"Only if you let me use your lap."

"Deal."

That was all it took to get the blood rushing back to Yang's face again.

"Jesus, Blake, I was only kidding. But if you want me to that bad.." Yang grinned. Blake just rolled her eyes, but Yang could've sworn she saw a blush.

That was how Yang found herself resting her head on Blake's really comfy lap, while wrapped in one of Blake's warm blankets, listening to the incredibly soothing sound of Blake's voice as she commented on the game.

"They're fantastic strategy games, and the characters are great too. I'm surprised you've never played any of them," she was saying.

"Honestly I only know it from Smash," Yang admitted, glancing up at Blake's face. How did she manage to look so good from every angle? Blake's eyebrows suddenly knitted together and she cursed quietly.

"God _dammit_ Edward," she hissed through gritted teeth. Yang glanced at the screen, where one of the characters, a swordsman, seemed to be in pretty bad shape. She had to admit seeing Blake frustrated was pretty cute.

"Eh, just let him die," Yang said nonchalantly. Blake frowned.

"No way, I always restart the level if someone dies. And Leonardo needs him," she explained.

"Wait, what?" Yang burst out laughing. "What's that mean, he NEEDS him?" Blake got very quiet, and this time Yang was positive she saw a blush.

"Nothing. Go to sleep."

"Oh my god. You ship it. I can't believe this." She was shaking from the force of her giggles.

"Shut up." Blake looked down at Yang, her face getting redder by the second. Yang wasn't laughing anymore, but her eyes were still shining brighter than usual. For a long second, Blake just stared at her. A new sort of blush worked it's way onto her face, and she hastily looked back up at the game. She continued on the level, trying to slow her heartbeat and wondering just what the hell she was doing.

 **AN: Yep, this story is back from the dead! I'm just as surprised as you are tbh. Anyway, thanks so much for reading and sticking with it! Tentative plan is to update every Friday but...we'll see how that goes. Leave a review if you'd like 3**


	7. Chapter 7

"Weeiiiss!" Ruby cried out helplessly, scurrying after the angry woman. She followed her down the stairs and out of city hall, until Weiss abruptly stopped just outside the main doors, causing Ruby to clumsily slam into her from behind.

"What?" She demanded, whirling around testily.

Ruby stared into Weiss' icy blue eyes, and felt her face slowly heating up again. "Uh.."

Weiss huffed. "Dolt." She started to turn back around but Ruby quickly grabbed her arm.

"Hey! Unhand me this instant you—you barbarian!" Weiss said indignantly.

"Wait! Please, I'm sorry Yang offended you, but can't we work something out?" Ruby gave her best puppy dog eyes. Weiss scowled.

"No." She tried to yank her arm away but Ruby refused to give an inch.

"But why? You weren't like this in high school.." Ruby trailed off. Weiss stopped struggling for a second, somewhat surprised. Then she scoffed.

"People change, Ruby. Although, you're clearly the same as always." An eye roll accompanied the last statement. Ruby, however, totally missed the annoyance, instead squealing in pleasure.

"You remember me!" Her smile was so big and genuine that Weiss had to forcibly stop herself from smiling back.

"How could I forget," she mumbled, before quickly catching herself. "Now get off! My driver is here." She pulled her arm from Ruby's grasp with surprising ease. Ruby gave her a wistful look, her smile disappearing.

"Weiss. Please?" Weiss gritted her teeth, feeling certain…emotions beginning to stir.

"I have to go. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"But—" Weiss cut her off with a curt shake of her head, and hurriedly yet gracefully made her way down the steps and into her waiting vehicle. Ruby scarcely had time to raise a hand in farewell before the car zoomed around the corner.

Ruby usually liked to eat lunch outside, a nice break of fresh air to get her through the day. And today, with most of the office gone to Yang's lakeside press conference, she seized the opportunity to bike farther out than usual, pedaling all the way across town to Beacon Park. The park hadn't changed much from when her mom had taken them as kids, or when, later, Yang had taken Ruby all on their own. The familiar surroundings always gave Ruby a sense of nostalgia, and she found herself frowning at the thought of it all being destroyed for the factory.

As she biked slowly along a winding path through the trees and grass, she was surprised to see a figure on one of the benches. Well, seeing a person wasn't too surprising, but seeing this specific person was a bit of a shock. As such, one can understand why Ruby let out a small gasp and skidded her bike to a halt, nearly falling over in the process.

"Weiss?"

The woman in question looked up sharply, then sighed loudly. "Great, just what I needed, this idiot," she grumbled. Ruby ignored the rude comment, propping her bike up and trotting over to the bench.

"Hey Weiss!" She waved enthusiastically despite being a mere foot away from the other woman. "What're you doing here? Can I sit with you?" Weiss avoided eye contact.

"None of your business. And no, you may not."

Ruby sat down anyway. She peered at Weiss, trying to see her face. When that failed, she looked elsewhere, quickly fixating on an untouched sandwich laying between them on the bench.

"You gonna eat that? I just remembered I left my lunch at the office." Ruby laughed and ran a hand through her hair. "I've got cookies though if you want some!"

Weiss was silent. Then:

"You can eat it." Her voice was strangely muffled and a little choked sounding. Ruby immediately tensed.

"Heeeeey. You alright?" She asked, eyes full of concern. Weiss sighed heavily and finally looked up at her unwanted company. Ruby's eyes widened. Weiss' eyes were ringed with red, she had clearly been crying. But more pressingly, there was a large red mark across her left cheek.

"Wha—"

"Shut up. I don't want or need your pity. You may have the sandwich. Now please leave me alone." The sentences were spoken quickly and robotically, though she looked seconds from a breakdown. Ruby's brow creased in concern.

"Your dad still hits you, huh? I thought you're CEO now, what the hell is he doing?" A rare scowl formed on her face.

"You knew about that?" Weiss whispered, her facade beginning to crack.

"Everybody knew about that," Ruby replied sadly. "Make-up only hides so much. I should've done something.. But I'll do something now, I promise." She started to take out her phone.

"No." Weiss hurriedly wiped her eyes. "He hadn't hit me in years before today. It was my fault anyway." Ruby glared with an intensity Weiss had never seen.

"Don't ever say that."

Weiss looked back at the ground, breathing deeply for a few moments.

"I'm CEO now, but father is still in charge. It's a sort of…trial period. The stockholders would reelect him at a moments notice, after all he's made them rich. And they obviously don't care about any of his more disreputable business practices." She paused to take a shaky breath. "I can't screw up now. I have to do everything he says, now more than ever. He doesn't give second chances.." She touched her cheek lightly.

"So that's why you won't compromise on the factory.." Ruby said quietly.

"I can't!" Weiss looked up, her eyes showing a raw vulnerability. "We need that factory to meet our growth targets this year. And if I don't meet them…don't you understand?"

"I do," Ruby assured her. "But there's gotta be another way Weiss. You can't let him control you like this, it's—it's fucked up!" She waved her arms around like a windmill. "I won't let him do that to you."

Weiss shook her head, wiping her eyes again. "You can't fix this Ruby. Besides, why should you? I've been nothing but a bitch to you and your sister."

"You're not a bitch!"

Weiss gave her a look.

"Okay, maybe you can be a bitch sometimes!" Ruby agreed. "But that's not all you are! Remember that time in high school?"

"There were a lot of times in high school," Weiss sighed.

"You know, the time when you gave Cardin a black eye for picking on me?" Ruby smiled. "I mean, I could've taken him of course."

"Of course."

"But that's the type of person you are, Weiss. You _care_. And you're brave."

Weiss shook her head.

"I have to go." She stood up to leave. Ruby was on her feet in an instant. Weiss held up a hand to stop her.

"Don't speak of this to anyone, understand? It's unbecoming of me to be seen without proper…decorum," Weiss said stiffly. Ruby opened her mouth to speak but she was silenced with a glare.

"Okay Weiss." She said finally. "I won't tell."

"Back again?"

"Oh…hi Weiss."

Weiss immediately frowned at Ruby's oddly mellow tone. She had half expected to see her at the bench after the somewhat embarrassing encounter from the previous day. She had not expected such a downtrodden expression. An awkward moment passed while she debated sitting down beside a clearly distraught Ruby or simply walking back to her office. Eventually, she gracefully seated herself on the edge of the bench, as if ready to flee at a moment's notice.

There was another awkward pause as Weiss desperately searched for something to say.

"I saw your sister on the news yesterday. What was that dolt thinking, diving into the lake like that?"

Ruby remained silent. Weiss eyed her discreetly, wanting to ask what was wrong. But her father's training stopped her in her tracks. _Never put yourself on their level. Maintain your status, control the conversation._

"She always was a hothead," Weiss continued. "Brave, I suppose, though not the brightest."

Again, she received no response.

"Are you even listening?" she snapped, somewhat annoyed. Slowly, Ruby looked up at her, and Weiss was trapped in her strikingly silver eyes. The look in them at that moment stirred some strange emotion in Weiss' chest. She suddenly felt the urge to cry.

"Please, can we talk about something else?" Ruby asked. In an instant, Weiss threw her father's conversational tactics out the window.

"Ruby, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing!" Ruby spoke quickly, immediately making an effort to perk up. Weiss frowned sternly at her.

"Don't be difficult. You're never this quiet." She winced. She hadn't intended to be so short. Luckily, Ruby didn't seem to mind. She was busy fiddling with the edge of her skirt.

"She's sick," Ruby whispered. "My sister."

"Sick with what?" Weiss questioned. "It's not the Flu is it?" Ruby shrugged helplessly.

"We don't even know what it is!" She cried desperately. "What if…" She trailed off and shook her head.

"Ruby, she'll be fine," Weiss said steadily. "That brute's been around Vale for years, and I know personally how tough she is." Ruby was silent, again staring intently at the ground. "Seriously, trust me."

"I do.." Ruby spoke finally. "But, she's my big sister!" Tears welled up in her eyes. Weiss bit her lip, entirely at a loss. The silence stretched out longer and longer, until she simply couldn't take it anymore.

"Ruby. I, um, wasn't going to mention this until I was sure, but I thought about what you said. That I can no longer allow my father to control my every move." Ruby looked up at her quizzically.

"I love this park. And I do believe that it should be preserved if at all possible." Weiss spoke slowly and carefully. "Given that, I am reconsidering my decision to cut off all negotiations with Yang."

"Really?!" Ruby exclaimed, eyes now shining with excitement rather than tears.

"Of course, I will need to think about this further," Weiss continued. "However, there is a good chance—"

"I have to go share the good news!" Jumping up from the bench, Ruby thrust her phone at Weiss. "Give me a call anytime and I'll set up a meeting!"

"W-Wait!" Weiss said, waving her hands. "Give me a few hours. This is going to be rather…difficult for me. It certainly needs to be discreet until I have an airtight proposal for the shareholders, understand?" Ruby nodded vigorously.

"Got it," she replied. "Thank you so much for even considering this Weiss. Yang will have to get better now!" She seemed so happy and sincere that Weiss began to feel the odd stirring in her chest once again.

"And way to stick it to your stupid dad!" Ruby was positively beaming now. "See, I told ya you were brave!"

"Thanks Ruby," Weiss said, slightly overwhelmed by the exuberance. She typed her number into a new contact on Ruby's phone before delicately handing it back. Ruby took it with a grin, then glanced at the time and cursed.

"Oh damn, I've gotta get back and see how Yang's doing," she explained hastily, her smile fading. Weiss frowned too.

"I hope she gets well soon," she stated. Weiss cringed internally at her own robotic statement, wishing she could think of something more comforting to say. To her surprise, Ruby seemed genuinely touched by even that inadequate statement. She smiled sincerely, her eyes watering again. For a moment, Weiss was afraid she was going to try something stupid like a hug.

But thankfully Ruby simply hopped onto her bike and prepared leave. "Thanks again Weiss, you won't regret this!" And with that she skidded away, going far too fast as usual.

Weiss huffed after her. "I certainly hope so." She settled back on the bench to actually eat her lunch when she suddenly realized that Ruby hadn't given her own phone number.

"Wait…how am I going to call that idiot?" she muttered to herself.

Fifteen minutes later, she was walking back to the office when her phone beeped. Weiss dug it from her purse and glanced at the screen.

[ [ Hi Weiss! I hope you're doing okay :) Well I mean I saw you like 20 minutes ago so you're probably the same but just thought I'd ask.. ANYWAY this is my number so I'll be waiting for your call 3 ] ]

Weiss stared at the message for a solid 30 seconds, glaring with particular intensity at the heart tacked onto it. A second message whooshed up a moment later.

[ [ OH btw this is Ruby! Probably should've started with that hahah ] ]

Weiss couldn't stop a small smile from working its way onto her face.

"Dolt," she said, not entirely sure if she was talking about Ruby or about herself.

 **AN: In case you didn't notice, these interactions are set over the course of the past few chapters. Also for the reviewer who was worried about Weiss being a villain, dw I adore her character far too much to waste it on that :3 Thanks for reviewing btw! I really enjoy checking out what everybody has to say. And thank you all for reading! 3**


	8. Chapter 8

"OKAY PEOPLE LET'S GET OUR GAME FACES ON! THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE MAIN EVENT, THE CULMINATION OF LITERAL **MONTHS** OF WORK!"

"Ruby, it's 6:30 in the morning can you PLEASE take it down like 10 notches?" Jaune and his eye circles were entirely unamused by Ruby's excitement.

"No can do Jaune, my bud!" Ruby replied, looking almost illegally chipper considering the sun had risen a mere 15 minutes earlier. "We've got a lot to do before the gala, and everybody's gotta be on their A game, got it?" Jaune sighed heavily and put his head on Pyrrha's shoulder, who giggled quietly.

"We're ready and at your service Ruby," she answered, giving a mock salute.

"Excellent! Now, first order of business: Blake, where the heck is my sister?" Three faces turned towards Blake in unison. Blake scoffed.

"I find it interesting how you immediately assume that I—"

"Seriously, where is she?" Ruby interrupted.

"Okay fine, I turned off her alarm last night," Blake admitted. "She's still recovering from that cold if you all remember. She needs rest." Jaune raised his eyebrows.

"Sooo did you break in to do that or were you…sleeping over?" He grinned at her. Blake sputtered at him indignantly.

"N-no! I was just checking on her I—We aren't—of course I didn't break in!"

Jaune laughed somewhat uncontrollably until Pyrrha smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Don't tease," she said sternly, though the smile on her face gave her away. Blake fumed silently at the pair.

"Anyhoo~" Ruby pushed on, though she was smiling widely as well. "As a reminder, the gala will begin at 1500 hours and run until the SSSN concert concludes at 2200. The band will be arriving at 1300 hours and should be given a very warm welcome by the full staff. Any questions?"

Blake raised a hand and an eyebrow. "Why exactly are we using military time here?"

"Because we need to be classy! And-and FANCY. We need a certain…Dennis says kwa!"

There was silence for a moment as everyone tried to process what exactly the girl had said.

"What?" Jaune asked finally.

"It's French Jaune, look it up." She waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm sorry Ruby, but I don't think it is.." Pyrrha stated cautiously. Ruby paused for a second, clearly deep in thought.

"Nah, of course it is!" She waved her hand again. "Now come with me and Jaune to the fairground, Yang's friends will be there in 30 minutes with the tents to help us set up." Jaune and Pyrrha exchanged a glance but stood up anyway to follow the fearless leader.

"And Blake, you're in charge of getting my sister, okay? Meet us there as soon as you can!" Ruby called over her shoulder as she zipped out of the room.

"Try not to get distracted," Jaune added, smirking a little. Blake scowled at him as Pyrrha dragged him out before he could say anything else.

The teasing from all of them had been getting worse lately. But Jaune in particular had become a major nuisance. Blake glowered over it during the whole drive over to Yang's place. Just because she had been spending more time with her, didn't mean anything was "happening." And why was it any of his business anyway?

Blake gripped the steering wheel tighter. Plus, she had no confirmation that Yang wasn't straight. Maybe it was all just a big joke to them. And it's not like they knew about her own bisexuality. Blake never bothered coming out to people anymore. It was too much of a hassle.

Of course, all of it was useless anyway. She didn't like Yang that way, and Yang obviously wouldn't be interested in her either. "Definitely not," Blake mumbled out loud, pulling over to park. They were clearly 100% professional and platonic. Just friends.

She approached Yang's door and knocked firmly. Predictably, there was no response from the other side. Yang was an extremely heavy sleeper.

"Probably wouldn't wake up if the house was burning down," Blake muttered to herself as she fished out the spare key that Yang had given her from her bag.

"She gave you a key?" Jaune had commented, incredulous. Blake had just rolled her eyes at him, and pointedly ignored the knowing glances that Ruby and Pyrrha exchanged. It was completely normal for an employer to give a house key to their personal assistant.

Frowning a little at the memory, she let herself into the simple but neat apartment. Blake had initially expected a mess to suit Yang's explosive personality, but had been pleasantly surprised to find the place to be nearly as clean as her own home.

Blake knocked loudly on the bedroom door. "YANG?" she practically screamed, knowing that a gentle awakening would be impossible. She was met with incoherent mumbling.

"Yang, we need your help with gala preparations," she continued, in a less deafening tone. There was more mumbling from behind the door which sounded suspiciously like cursing. Clattering noises ensued as Yang lumbered across the room. The door was abruptly yanked open a minute later.

"Who the hell turned off my alarm?" Yang grumbled.

"Well, that may have been—oh, wow." Blake stared at Yang in a mixture of shock and awe.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Um…your hair is a little…" Blake cut herself off, unable to find words to describe the disarray on top of Yang's head.

"Oh c'mon, it can't be _that_ bad," Yang laughed, trotting to the bathroom to look in the mirror. She immediately grimaced at the sight. "Okay, maybe it is that bad," she amended. "I'll have to wash it. What time is it?" Blake walked up behind her, checking her watch.

"7:27."

"Goddammit Blake, why'd you have to turn off my alarm?" Yang complained.

"So you knew it was me."

"Well, duh. Who else would sneak in here like a ninja and sabotage me on such an important day?"

"Seriously? I selflessly provide you with an extra two hours of sleep and _this_ is the thanks I get." Blake shook her head in mock disappointment.

"Okay fine. You're a hero, happy?" Yang demanded. Blake smiled a little and nodded. Yang grinned right back.

"Alright, I'm gonna go fix this mess." She gestured broadly at her hair. "And by the way~" Yang's eyes lit up in a way that only meant one thing. "Thanks for coming by to _Blake_ me up!"

Blake groaned and slammed the bathroom door shut, only partially drowning out Yang's raucous laughter at her own "joke."

She made her way to the living room and settled down, grabbing a book from the bookshelf. Another pleasant surprise had been Yang's love of reading. Apparently she had read to Ruby every night after their mom died, and so both sisters had grown to love stories. Blake grabbed Slaughterhouse-Five, one of her favorites. Yang had pretty good taste.

She took a seat and managed to read a grand total of two pages before she was interrupted.

"Blaaaaake!"

Blake sighed heavily but immediately stood up to see what the problem was.

"What is it? Do you need my help in there?" she asked with a slight smirk.

"Yeeees!" Yang yelled back. Blake stopped in her tracks just outside the bathroom. "Can you get my shampoo? It's on the counter!"

Blake let out a sigh of relief. "You don't keep your shampoo in the bathroom?" she griped, going back to the kitchen to collect it. Yang hollered something unintelligible after her. Blake figured it out for herself a moment later when she found the bottle next to a shopping bag, clearly new and unopened. She made her way back to the bathroom and then hovered next to the door for a moment.

"Um, Yang? I have it," Blake said hesitantly.

"THANK YOU!" Yang replied. "DOOR'S UNLOCKED JUST COME IN AND I'LL GRAB IT"

Blake winced at her unbelievably loud voice. She reached for the door handle, her hand shaking a little at the idea of Yang Xiao Long. In the shower. Presumably without any clothes. Oh man. Blake steeled her nerves, wondering how exactly she had gotten into this situation. She carefully opened the door a crack and thrust her arm in, bottle in hand.

"Um, Blakey..You're gonna have to step inside, y'know," Yang said, clearly amused by the whole situation.

"Of course I know that!" Blake snapped. She awkwardly shimmied her way into the bathroom, taking care to remain turned 180 degrees from the source of the water. She stuck her arm out, backing up slowly.

There was eerie silence as she inched backward. The sound of the water running began to seem deafening, and Blake was acutely aware of every small droplet that landed on her outstretched arm. Suddenly, a wet hand latched onto her wrist and Blake yelped, tensing immediately and yanking her hand away as quickly as possible. The shampoo bottle clattered onto the floor, but the noise was barely audible over the sound of Yang's laughter.

"Screw you," Blake grumbled once her breathing had slowed back down.

"Aw, Blake, I'm sorry!" Yang apologized, struggling to contain her chuckles. "I didn't mean for it to scare you _that_ much."

"Whatever, Yang." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, don't you roll your eyes at me kiddo!"

Blake chose to ignore the fact that Yang somehow picked up on the eye roll even though Blake wasn't facing her.

"Enjoy your shower," she said in a monotone. "Also, I'm six months older than you, 'kiddo'."

"Wait, what? Six months, that means…Blake, when's your—"

Blake shut the door forcefully behind her, muffling Yang's question. She exhaled through her nose. "Stupid Xiao Long," she said to herself, extremely thankful to be out of that bathroom situation. She returned to her book eagerly, curling up on Yang's comfy couch.

This time, she made it almost 20 minutes before being interrupted. She was contentedly reading about the life of Billy Pilgrim when her phone started blaring some alternative rock song at her. Blake nearly dropped the book as she fumbled to stop the noise.

"Ruby? What did you set your ringtone to?" Blake demanded as she answered the call.

"O-kay, good try Blake, but usually 'hello' is a better start for a phone call," Ruby said. Blake could almost see her innocent grin though the phone.

"Hey hey, don't roll your eyes at me Blake! That's rude."

"How are you people DOING THAT?!"

"You roll your eyes maaaaaybe 5 million times a day?" Ruby answered. "It's a pretty safe guess." Blake glared pointedly at the lamp on Yang's coffee table.

"So is there a reason you called me or..?"

"I was just wondering how it's going with Yang," Ruby explained in a more serious tone. "Set-up here is going pretty smoothly, but we really need her as soon as possible."

"Understood." Blake stood up to pace around. "She's taking a shower right now, but we should be there within the next hour."

"A shower?" Ruby sounded incredulous. "Oh god, we're doomed. Yang can't take a shower in less than half an hour to save her life. And then there's the hair drying, that takes another 30 minutes, and _then_ —"

"Wow, what did she do to you?" Blake cut in.

"We shared a bathroom growing up," Ruby said with a shudder. "Anyway, just get here as soon as you can."

"Alright," Blake replied.

"Oh, and it's Fall Out Boy."

"What?"

"The ringtone. I thought you'd like it! It seems like your type of music," Ruby laughed. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"…Okay?"

"Geez, you know you're allowed to say more than one word at a time," Ruby said with a fake sigh.

"It's a good song?" Blake offered. Ruby squealed a little.

"Yesssss, I knew it! You're totally 2000s emo."

"I..have no idea what that means," Blake admitted.

"Oh shit."

"Is it really that bad?"

"What? Nah we just have a sliiiight problem over here," Ruby explained, her voice raising in pitch. "It sorta kinda started raining a tiny bit?"

"Oh. Shit." Blake paced a little faster.

"It's fine," Ruby stated, sounding decidedly not fine. "Hopefully it'll stop soon? God, this was NOT in the forecast. Okay, I gotta go!"

"Ruby, it'll be okay. We'll see you soon, alright?" Blake said. Ruby took a deep breath.

"Thanks Blake, see you soon. Ooh, and bring cookies!" Blake could tell that she was smiling again. She smiled too.

"Sure thing." She hung up and returned to her couch spot, glancing out the window. It was still clear in Yang's neighborhood, though she could see some very ominous looking clouds on the horizon. Blake bit her lip a little. Rain was one of the worst possible things that could happen to the gala. If it didn't stop soon, they'd have to reschedule it. But that would be a pretty big financial hit. Plus, they'd lose the band which was the main draw of the event anyway. Blake unconsciously ground her teeth as she attempted to do the financial analysis in her head.

"Ooh, Slaughterhouse-Five? I love that book!" Blake jolted a little at the sudden sound of Yang's voice.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," she said, turning around. "That was surprisingly fast though. At least according to your sister."

Yang grinned at her, flipping her perfectly styled hair in triumph. "Don't listen to her, I can be fast if I need to! But I mean I also have amazing endurance if ya catch my drift," she said, her eyes sparkling almost aggressively. Blake gave her a Look.

"Are you done?"

"Aw, are you still mad at me for scaring you earlier?" Yang asked. She looked genuinely concerned. "Seriously, I'm sorry." Blake laughed a little at that.

"Yang, it's fine," she said, smiling softly. "It's not that big a deal."

"Ah, well." Yang cleared her throat. "Just checking, y'know? But hey does this mean you'll admit that it was funny?"

"Absolutely not." Blake rolled her eyes.

"There you go again! Another one for the Belladonna eye roll count!" Yang laughed, ignoring Blake's pointed glare.

"Okay, if you're finished, Ruby would like us to get to the fairgrounds as soon as possible."

"Right, right," Yang said, getting marginally more serious. "Lemme just grab some stuff real quick." She scurried off, and Blake took the opportunity to sit back down and read some more. She was just getting re-invested in the story when Yang appeared in front of her. Blake glanced up. She was looking amazing in her charcoal suit and her favorite orange dress shirt, which Blake had also come to appreciate. The daylight from the window illuminated the back of her head, and her hair almost seemed to be glowing…

"Purple?" Blake blinked a couple times to see if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"Yes Blakey, that's a color."

"No, your hair.." Blake trailed off, staring at it in confusion. Yang's normally blonde hair had somehow been tinted with a _very_ light purple tone.

"What?" Yang frowned in confusion.

"Hmm, go outside," Blake suggested. "I think it's only visible in natural light?"

"What the hell are you talking about Blake? Whatever it is sounds like science." Yang gave her a suspicious look.

"Just trust me," Blake responded. Yang's eyes narrowed another two notches.

It took another minute for Blake to force her outside into the bright light of the street in front of the apartment building.

"Well at least it's clear now," Blake commented. The sky was almost completely blue, and the storm clouds seemed to have abated.

"Okay? What d'you mean 'now'?" Yang asked, still eyeing her suspiciously.

"It's nothing," Blake said hastily, realizing that this might not be the best time to bring up the weather issues at the fairgrounds. "Do you see the color now?"

Yang ran a hand through her thick hair, pulling it forward so she could see. It was lighter than usual, and it had a definite purple tint to it. _Wait, what?_ She stared at it for almost 30 seconds in complete silence while Blake shifted awkwardly behind her.

"Um, Yang?"

"MOTHERFU—"

 **AN: Okay it's still technically Friday in my timezone, so I'm calling this a success :P As always, thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

Ruby stared at the massive, dark-gray clouds overhead, her dismal expression reflecting the weather perfectly. The rain had stopped for now, but the fairgrounds were still damp and depressing. The sudden downpour had also forced set-up to stop, pushing the crew behind schedule. Ruby sighed a little. She had been hoping to impress Yang by taking the lead on the gala. And this was definitely not part of the plan.

"Don't worry Ruby!" A friendly voice piped up. Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to give her roommate a smile.

"We still have ample time to finish our preparations," the girl continued. "I'm sure Yang will be impressed by how well you're handling this situation."

"Thanks Penny," Ruby said, her expression brightening a little. Penny had always had trouble reading people and their social cues, and she still did, but after living with Ruby for years she had grown amazingly adept at picking up on her roommate's feelings. Which Ruby was very grateful for.

"Alright, looks like it's clear for now. Let's get back to work guys!" Ruby called to the small crowd that had taken refuge from the storm under one of the few tents they had managed to raise. The "crew" comprised of several of Yang's friends and acquaintances, who had volunteered so the campaign didn't have to spend unnecessary funds. Even Taiyang, notorious for his distaste for politics, had shown up to help out his daughter. He give Ruby a nod and a smile, then proceeded to pick up a huge stack of chairs without breaking a sweat.

Ruby checked the time. Slightly after 9. Penny was right, there was still plenty of time, as long as nothing else went wrong. "I hope things are going smoother for Yang," Ruby said to herself, moving to join a group that seemed to be struggling to secure their tent.

"—UCKER!" Yang screamed, grabbing furiously at her hair. Blake stood a safe distance away, unsure of how best to calm her down.

"Yang," she started.

"I should've KNOWN she was up to something," Yang growled. "You stupid IDIOT."

"Yang?" Blake tried again, but Yang continued grumbling to herself, furiously pacing up and down the sidewalk and pulling at her hair. Blake approached her cautiously, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. Yang started and made an abrupt about-face.

"Heeeeey Blake! How's it going? Good? It's going good? I'm good. This is good." She gave what was probably the most forced smile Blake had seen in her life.

"Please calm down, Yang," Blake said in an even tone. Yang barked with laughter.

"Me?" she asked, gesturing frantically at herself. "Dude, I am SO calm."

"That's a lie. Seeing as you're lapsing into 'surfer talk' I'd say you're about two minutes from committing serious property damage."

Yang glared at her silently.

"It's not that bad," Blake continued gently. "I barely even noticed it, and I look at you every day. Besides, I'm sure it'll fade quickly." Yang's glare didn't waver.

"That's very logical and all Blakey, but I have a pretty major public appearance iiiiin—" she checked her watch "—like six hours. So I'm gonna need a better solution here."

"I'm trying to help…" Blake muttered, sounding more defensive than she intended. Yang immediately softened.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry," she apologized. Then she sighed and ran a hand through her newly dyed hair. "There's no time to re-dye it...I guess I'll have to go with it," she said with a cringe. "I can't wait to hear what Qrow's gonna say." Then her eyes widened. "Oh god, what is my DAD gonna say?"

"Spiraling, Yang," Blake stated quickly. "It'll be alright, I promise." Yang gave her a shaky smile. "Now, we really need to go. Come on, I'll drive," Blake said, leading her to the car. Yang collapsed into the passenger seat like a pile of bricks. Blake took her seat gracefully and started the car.

For the first half of the drive Yang sulked silently, gazing out the window as they made their way through the cramped streets of downtown Vale and then past the more open shopping complexes and neighborhoods of the surrounding area. Eventually, she stirred slightly and gave Blake a sideways look. Blake was entirely focused on driving, her hands perfectly placed in the ten-and-two position, and her eyes carefully watching the road and her speedometer.

"Are you always this tense when you drive?" Yang asked suddenly. Blake somehow managed to tense up a little more, although her eyes remained glued on the road. She was quiet for a long moment, and Yang began to resign herself to being ignored.

"No," she spoke softly. Yang glanced at her again. Blake's brow creased slightly. "There was…an accident a few months ago. A couple weeks before I met you for the first time. My—" she paused for a second. "My boyfriend at the time was driving. He hit the curb while speeding and the car flipped over. But he wasn't hurt at all. And I was only slightly worse off. Cuts and bruises…" Blake trailed off. Yang waited for her to continue, completely enraptured.

Finally, Blake took a deep breath and pressed on. "Anyway, it totaled the car. That's why I didn't have one the first week I was working for you." She shrugged. "I guess I'm still a little on edge from that experience, that's all."

"Damn, that sounds awful," Yang said. "I'm sorry." Blake shrugged again.

"No need to be sorry. Accidents happen," she said in a level voice. There was silence for another moment, and Yang busied herself with staring out of the window again. They were nearing the outskirts of Vale and the fairgrounds site now.

"Yang?" Blake spoke up again.

"Yeah?"

"Since you're talking now, do you mind telling me how you managed to dye your hair purple?"

Yang growled. "Seriously, you've gotta bring that up?"

"I'm only curious," Blake said, clearly slightly amused. Yang crossed her arms.

"Okay, let's get one thing straight here. I did not dye my hair." She held up a hand before Blake could make a snarky remark. "Seriously! I was TRICKED by that she-devil Emerald Black."

"Mercury Black's wife?"

"Yep that's the one." Yang's hands clenched into fists. "She's the one who bought that violet toning crap for me to make my hair 'even more lustrous.' I can't believe I thought she was just being nice," she said, slamming her head back into the headrest.

Blake took her eyes off the road for a fraction of a second to shoot her a worried look. "Why were you talking to the wife of your opponent so much anyway?" she questioned.

"Because I thought she was trapped in a bad marriage and didn't actually like that smug shit," Yang explained. "Which isn't a terrible assumption seeing as he's the worst."

Blake nodded in agreement. "He's despicable." Yang's eyes lit up slightly at that.

"Wow, Blake. That might be the hottest thing you've ever said."

"There was also that hand holding incident," Blake continued, steadfastly ignoring Yang's comment. She was referring to the media footage of Mercury attempting to hold his wife's hand while walking into the Black Industries building, and then getting his hand coldly swatted away.

"Oh absolutely. Plus that was hilarious," Yang replied. "But seriously, all of the signs were pointing towards disgruntled trophy wife. I thought it would be good to be friendly with her." She scoffed. "Obviously I was real wrong on that one."

"Well you shouldn't have to be wary that people are going to try to dye your hair against your will," Blake said with an eye roll. "It's like some middle school prank."

"And people say I'M immature," Yang grumbled. She looked out the window again. The fairgrounds were coming up next to them. "Geez, it's so gloomy out." Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the ground outside. "Wait, did it rain?"

Blake inhaled apprehensively. "Yes, I was going to tell you. But then...you know." She tilted her head slightly towards Yang's.

Yang sighed so heavily that Blake was worried about the state of her voice box for a minute. "Oh well," she said. "At least it's stopped now." She gave Blake a sideways smile. "Bet you thought I was gonna freak out, right?" Blake wisely remained silent.

Yang smiled again. "I'm not THAT unstable." They were quiet for a minute as Blake turned into the fairgrounds entrance.

"I'd never want to be unstuck in time," Yang mused.

"What?"

"Like in Slaughterhouse-Five." She ran a hand through her hair. "Probably should've given you some context," she laughed. "But y'know, unstuck in time. Like Billy Pilgrim. It seems awful."

Blake considered that for a minute. "I don't know, I wouldn't mind it." Yang looked at her somewhat incredulously. As usual, Blake took her time elaborating, pulling into a parking spot carefully before opening her mouth again.

"I like the idea of it at least," she explained. "To move around constantly, and to know what's going to happen at the end." She opened her door. "It lowers the stakes."

Yang clambered out of her side. "Really? You don't think it would be boring?" She straightened her blazer as she spoke. "I like living without knowing what's going to come next. I'd probably be miserable jumping around like that."

"That makes sense," Blake replied. "And you like to focus on one thing at a time. Also, your collar is folded." She grabbed Yang's lapel to straighten it herself. Yang tried to avoid staring at her face, which was suddenly close enough to make her heart beat a little faster. Blake's eyes were lowered, and Yang quickly found herself mesmerized by her long eyelashes.

"I dunno, isn't your attention span better than mine?" she muttered. Blake finished her task and Yang slowly exhaled as she stepped away. "Would you really enjoy flitting around your life all the time? How would you ever move forward from things?"

They began making their way from the parking lot to the open fields, where several white tents, along with tables and chairs, had already been set up.

"It's easier when you know you'll be somewhere else soon," Blake stated. Yang blinked a few times, unsure how to respond to that.

"Whoa, emo."

"I'm not emo!" Blake frowned at the ground.

"Alright, alright." Yang raised her hands in surrender. "You're a bubblegum pop princess who loves flowers and the color pink, happy?"

Blake shrugged. "Lilies are pretty."

"Not as pretty as you," Yang said with a wink. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what she had just said.

"Real smooth." Blake lightly laughed it off, much to Yang's relief.

As they approached the tents, Yang walked slightly faster. She spotted Ruby under one of the tents, currently giving instructions to a group of Yang's gym buddies, who proceeded to pick up a pile of heavy looking tables to move. Yang couldn't stop the proud smile from growing on her face.

"Hey Ruby! May I have your a-tent-tion please?" Yang called with a wave. Blake, trailing a few steps behind her, rewarded the effort with a loud groan. Ruby whirled around and beamed at her sister.

"Yang! Took you long enough," she said.

"Seriously? That's the greeting I get?" Yang griped.

"For that pun? You should consider yourself lucky," Blake stated bluntly. Yang shot her a look.

"She's right you know," Ruby added good-naturedly.

"And now you're ganging up on me!" Yang complained. "That's not very FAIR." Ruby and Blake stared at her blankly. "Y'know, cause we're at the fairgrounds? No? Guys?" The stares quickly morphed into glares.

"Okaaay never mind that one then," Yang continued sheepishly. "Ruby, what's the status here?"

"Set-up is back on schedule despite the rain delay," Ruby checked a clipboard she had conjured from somewhere. "Uncle Qrow and Ren just arrived with the food stuff. And Sun texted that the band is on schedule too." She smiled and looked up from the board. "Operation Yangtastic is going off without a hitch!"

"Well, besides the rain." Ruby laughed nervously.

"It looks like the sun is coming out," Blake offered, pointing up at the clouds, which were indeed looking brighter than they had been all day.

"Nice work, Ruby," Yang said with a grin. She ruffled her sister's hair a little. "Not too shabby." Ruby giggled and dodged out of Yang's reach. "Alright, I'm gonna go help Qrow."

"Sure thing!" Ruby chirped as Yang turned and stepped out from under the tent. "Heeeey wait. Is your hair...purple?" she asked, totally perplexed.

"Oh GODDAMMIT." Yang turned back around with a pained expression. "Is it that noticeable?"

"Umm..."

"It's fine, Yang," Blake stepped in. "It's maybe...a little more visible now that it's brighter out." Ruby nodded her agreement, eyes wide in fear for whoever had dared to mess with Yang's hair.

"UGH. Okay never mind that Qrow idea." Yang rubbed at her eyes in irritation. "Ruby, can you go check on that? I'm staying a safe distance away for now."

"Of course!" Then Ruby hesitated for a moment. "Sooo what happened to—" She cut off abruptly at the sight of Blake frantically shaking her head. "OKAY I'M GOING!" She spun to leave, colliding directly into her uncle.

"Whoa, what's the rush, kid?" He chuckled at her, then addressed Yang. "Nice to see you finally joining us." He raised an eyebrow. "Something happen?"

Yang shifted uncomfortably, picking at her fingers in agitation as she tried to figure out how to explain herself.

"Hold on." Qrow's eyes narrowed. "What the HELL did you do to your hair?!"

"It's not her fault," Blake said quickly. She opened her mouth to continue, but Qrow held up a hand in front of her face.

"Not talking to you," he stated bluntly. He glared at Yang intently. "You do realize how unprofessional you look?"

Yang sighed and dropped her arms to her sides. "I'm sorry, Qrow. I made a mistake."

Qrow scoffed. "Oh? You made a mistake? Let me go ahead and call the local news sources and tell them not to jump on this latest Xiao Long fiasco because—oh, you made a _mistake_ , right?"

Yang glared back at him. "Look, I said I was sorry," she said through gritted teeth. "Yell at me some other time, I have work to do right now."

"I'm not yelling," Qrow said gruffly. "But you need to learn that your choices have consequences, whether you want to deal with that—" He fished a flask out of his pocket and took a swig. "—or not."

"It wasn't my fault though!" Yang protested in frustration. "It was that asshole's asshole wife!"

Qrow shook his head. "Doesn't matter. You and I both know how important public appearance is in this business." He took another drink then jabbed a finger at Yang's chest. "But you still let it happen." He jabbed again. " So YOU have to deal with it." Yang took a breath, her eyes downcast.

Blake's hands clenched into fists as she watched the exchange. She felt an overwhelming urge to smack Qrow right in his condescending face. Even Ruby was looking uncomfortable at the extent of her uncle's diatribe.

"Giving my daughter a hard time again?" A new voice spoke up. Yang's expression somehow got even more miserable as her father joined them next to the tent. "What did she do this time?"

Qrow gestured disgustedly. "See for yourself."

"Ohhh." Taiyang stared at his daughter's hair for a moment. "Well, I think it looks good!"

Yang's eyes snapped up. "Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, really." Tai smiled warmly. "Qrow's being anal, it's a nice change of pace." Qrow glowered at Taiyang, who pointedly ignored him.

"I'm trying to teach a lesson here Tai," he growled.

"Yeah, well maybe chill with the lessons," Taiyang shot back. "She's a grown adult in case you forgot."

"Uh, right here guys," Yang cut in, waving a hand. Qrow gave her a look.

"We'll continue this later," he said. Then he glanced at Blake. "Away from this crowd. Tai, a word?" Taiyang raised an eyebrow but followed him away from the tent. He paused on the way to lay a hand on Yang's shoulder.

"You're doing great, firecracker. Sorry things got so in-tents." Tai laughed loudly at his own pun, and managed to make Yang crack a smile.

"Daaaaaad!" Ruby called in exasperation as he left, not nearly as amused by the joke as his other daughter was. Tai just laughed again, patting her head as he passed by.

"...Whew, that was rough," Ruby sighed once Taiyang and Qrow were out of earshot. Yang nodded in dismal agreement.

"What the hell is Qrow's problem?" Blake grumbled sourly.

"No, he's right," Yang spoke up. "I should've been more careful, and now I've gotta deal with it."

Ruby frowned slightly at Yang's somber tone. "Yang, you can't just blame yourself," she encouraged. "I'm gonna go check if Ren needs help now, alright?"

Yang gave her an absentminded wave over her shoulder, still fuming silently. Blake debated trying to calm her down, but eventually decided to stay quiet. She watched as Yang rummaged through some cardboard boxes of assorted decorations and lights.

"Okay, no time to worry about this mess right now," Yang murmured, half to herself. "Let's get the lights up," she addressed to Blake, who quickly moved to help her.

Set up continued without further incident as the morning wore on into the afternoon. Tents and tables were erected in arcs surrounding a large wooden stage, with stalls for several local food and art vendors interspersed among them. Pyrrha, showing a unsurprisingly good eye for decoration, had selected a nice assortment of ribbons and banners to make the fairgrounds even more welcoming. Watching the place transform from a relatively bare field into an attractive fall festival also seemed to improve Yang's mood.

"These balloons are really...something," Blake had said carefully, inspecting one of the members of the so-called "Xiao Long Balloon Corral." It was a bright yellow balloon with the words "Just Yang in there!" written in large black letters. Someone had also doodled a bumblebee in sharpie on the back.

"Ooh, do you like it?" Yang asked. "They're for the kids though, sorry to break it to ya."

Blake rolled her eyes, triggering a laugh from Yang.

"Seriously, kids love balloons! And puns! But who doesn't love puns, am I right?"

Ruby and Jaune raised their hands in unison.

"Wha— Where did you guys even come from? Get outta here!" Yang swatted at them with one hand, snatching the balloon from Blake with the other.

"And now you've lost your balloon privileges."

Blake snatched it right back.

Soon enough, some of the various local performing artists began to arrive, including the headliners. At the sight of the SSSN tour bus, almost all activity ceased as everyone craned to get a look at the boyish pop stars. Yang zipped her way over to greet them, Blake trailing her somewhat warily.

The first man physically leapt out of the bus, landing heavily on the grass then looking around with a wide smile. Blake immediately recognized him as the lead singer, Sun Wukong, identifiable by his blonde hair and obvious dislike of shirts or other upper body coverings.

"Finally, I get to stretch my legs!" He held up a hand at Yang in greeting. "Hey Yang, how's it going?" Then his gaze continued to land on Blake and his eyes widened.

"Whoa, who's this?" he asked with a grin, offering a handshake. "Hi there, call me Sun."

Blake cautiously shook his hand, watching as the rest of the band exited the bus in a more orderly fashion. Ruby had shown up and was currently speaking to the red-haired pirate-looking one while gesturing to their equipment.

"Blake," she introduced. Sun gave her a look as though he expected her to say something else. Blake just looked at him blankly, unsure what he was after.

"OKAY, yep, that's my campaign assistant, Blake Belladonna," Yang said, sliding over to stand in between them. She gave Sun a pointed glare. He looked between the two of them rapidly, then his mouth fell open.

"Ohhhh, I see! Y'know, Yang, you could've just asked if you wanted me to wingm—OW." He cut off as Yang smacked him in his perfectly chiseled abs.

"Good hit, sunshine." The blue-haired man who Blake was pretty sure was called Neptune had materialized next to them. He gave Yang a wink, but she just laughed at him.

"Keep dreaming Neptune," she said.

"Hold on," Blake interjected. "You already know them?"

Sun gave Yang a wounded expression. "You didn't tell your girl—OW—assistant! Your girl assistant!" Yang looked like she wanted to stab him.

"Nice save bro," Neptune said with a laugh. Blake looked between the three of them impatiently.

"Okay, yeah, we all went to college together," Yang explained.

"So then why did you pretend it was going to be hard to get them to play?" Blake questioned, crossing her arms.

"You know how it is Blakey," Yang began, with a perfect air of fake seriousness. Sun and Neptune immediately exchanged a glance as Sun mouthed "Blakey" with a downright gleeful expression. "Fame changes people," Yang finished with a mock sigh.

"Nah, she wanted to impress you," Sun blurted out. Yang growled and shoved his shoulder. Blake stared at the two of them, totally confused by the exchange.

"What exactly is going on here?" she asked in a somewhat demanding tone.

Sun opened his mouth to respond but Yang quickly cut him off. "Not a word monkey-boy," she hissed. Sun looked like he was going to say something anyway, risking the full extent of Yang's ire, but Neptune swooped in to diffuse the situation.

"Uh-oh looks like Sage and Scarlet need some help, we gotta go!" he said, forcibly pulling Sun away.

"Uh, what? I was just messing around!" Sun protested. "I'll see you guys later! Love the purple hair by the way!" he yelled as Neptune dragged him away.

Yang winced a little but still smiled. "Let us know if you need anything!" she called back. She turned back to Blake with a shrug. Blake was still standing in the same spot, arms crossed and her eyebrows knitted.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"Huh? Nothing! Sun just says weird stuff all the time." Yang forced a laugh.

Blake stared at her in blank silence.

"Anywho," Yang continued, determined to ignore the tension. "People will be arriving soon so I'm just gonna go make sure everything's ready and stuff?" She gave Blake an awkward smile.

"You're..." Blake stared directly into her eyes and Yang could feel herself break out into a light sweat. "...such a dork."

"God, give me a heart attack why don't you?" Yang complained as her heart rate slowed back to normal. Blake laughed lightly at that, and Yang found herself smiling back in spite of herself.

 **AN: Oh man sorry I got off schedule again ;~; To make it up I'll be posting two (2) chapters this week so get hype! Thank you so much for reading, you guys are all fantastic! 3**


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay here we go, here's the first guests." Yang was shaking slightly with nervous excitement. Blake was seated beside her at the donation table, directly across from the balloon corral. They watched together as a couple exited the car and made their way towards them.

"Wait a minute..." Blake said, straining to see them clearly. "Isn't that?"

"Shit, it is," Yang responded. She groaned loudly and face-palmed. "What the hell are THEY doing here?"

The two of them suspiciously waited for the couple to make it to the table, all of Yang's excitement replaced with dread and barely disguised fury. By the time the pair made it to the entrance, Yang seemed ready to snap.

"Well, hello there Councilwoman," the man said with an unpleasant smirk.

"Hello, Mr. Black," Yang replied, working hard to remain as cordial as possible. "Nice of you and your wife to attend." She gave Emerald a glare as she spoke. The other woman refused to meet her eyes, holding onto her husband's arm as though it was a lifeline.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Mercury responded smugly. "Though I've gotta say, it seems pretty risky to make the admission free. With the general public the way it is, I wouldn't be surprised if you struggle to break even."

Yang took a deep breath before she spoke again. "Yes, well, we wanted to make a political event that was accessible to everyone, not just people with money to spare," she stated calmly. "I'm confident that the gala will make plenty through donations, food sales, and the raffle." She paused to smile at him. "Speaking of, how would you two like to buy some raffle tickets? We have several lovely gift baskets you can enter the drawings for!"

Mercury gave her a smile right back. "Of course, we'll purchase some momentarily. Would you like us to buy you some hair dye as well?" His smile turned nasty and Yang gritted her teeth. "Don't get me wrong, I love the style! But sadly it may not be the most professional, wouldn't you agree Em?"

Emerald looked surprised at her sudden involvement in the conversation, but she hastily nodded her agreement. "It's a great look for you Councilwoman...for your new career as a tattoo artist."

Yang's hands clenched into fists, and she felt herself physically shaking with anger.

"Listen, you little—"

"What Yang means to say," Blake interrupted, standing up and pulling Yang back slightly. "Is that her new hair coloring is a well thought out statement."

Mercury sneered at her. "Oh yeah? What statement would that be?"

Yang looked at Blake in shock, her eyes wide. "Uhh..."

"You don't know, Mr. Black?" Blake asked. "That's a little embarrassing for you, don't you think?"

Mercury's cocky smile disappeared for the first time, and he and Yang wore similar confused expressions.

"As you know, it's now October, National Bullying Prevention Month. The third Thursday of this month will be LGBT Spirit Day. And in honor of that, Councilwoman Xiao Long has bravely dyed her hair purple to show solidarity with victims of homophobia and bullying throughout the country." Blake reached into her bag and quickly pulled out a purple ribbon. "This color represents that," she explained, handing it to Yang.

Wordlessly, Yang pinned the ribbon to her shirt, her eyes shining with admiration. Mercury looked at the two of them for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Seriously?" he snickered. "You're gonna spin this into some grand gesture on behalf of the homos? Disgusting."

Yang scowled at him. "Hey Black, it's 2016 in case you didn't notice. What's disgusting is your refusal to get with the times."

"Please," Mercury replied with his smirk back in place. "While I support the rights of anyone to select the lifestyle of their choosing, I stand firmly for family values and the sanctity of marriage, not—" he paused to wrinkle his nose, "—degenerates. And plenty of Vale, especially outer Vale, agrees with me."

"Get out," Yang said, her voice eerily calm.

"What?"

"Get out," she repeated. "Leave."

Mercury leered at her unpleasantly. "No need to be rude, blondie," he said. All semblance of civility was gone now. "We're going." He gave Blake a glare, then exited the way he came, Emerald in tow.

Blake stood close to Yang as they left, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.

"What a dick," Yang muttered to her.

"Definitely," Blake agreed.

"Nice thinking there with Spirit Day," Yang said, turning to give her a smile. "Mercury might think it's stupid, but I think that's a fantastic idea. Almost wish I did dye it on purpose for that."

Blake beamed at her. "I was worried you wouldn't be on board," she admitted. "Sorry I suddenly sprung it onto you."

"What, no! Don't apologize!" Yang touched the ribbon on her shirt softly. "When did you get this though?"

"O-oh." Blake looked down in ill-disguised panic. "I just...had it."

Yang's eyes searched Blake's face for a long moment.

"Blake, can I ask you something?" she said finally. Blake's breath hitched slightly. She nodded slowly.

"Do you, uh, are you—"

"Hey guys!" The sound of Jaune's voice made Blake and Yang jump in unison. They turned to look at him, Yang muttering something vaguely expletive under her breath.

"How's it going? Get any donations yet?" He asked, trotting over to join them. Blake exchanged a glance with Yang.

"Not exactly," she said glumly. "Mercury and Emerald Black showed up."

Jaune's eyes widened. "Where?" He looked around as if he was expecting a physical attack.

"Chill Jaune, they're gone now," Yang said. He sighed in relief.

"That man makes me uncomfortable," he explained. He cleared his throat a couple times before continuing. "Uh, so, Blake?" She raised her eyebrows at him. It was very rare for Jaune to address her personally.

"Yes?" she asked.

"...We need to talk." Jaune basically teleported behind her and pushed lightly at her back to get her moving.

"Wha—" Yang started.

"Why—" Blake began.

"No questions! Come on," he demanded, pushing a little more insistently.

"Okay, fine," Blake relented. She let him lead her away, shooting a questioning glance over her shoulder at Yang, who raised her hands in total confusion.

Jaune steered Blake into a far corner of the fairgrounds, shushing her whenever she tried to ask a question. Blake gave up and took the time to enjoy the pleasant festival scene that the group had created. They passed by the Ren's Diner tent, where Ren gave the two of them a polite wave. Nora looked up from her stack of pancakes long enough to smile and wave energetically. Blake quickly raised a hand back at them in greeting before Jaune dragged her out of their sight.

Finally, Jaune stopped walking abruptly, Blake nearly slamming into him from behind. He looked furtively in all directions before regarding Blake critically. She raised an eyebrow back at him in silence.

"Alright, we're safe here," Jaune said with a solemn air.

"Okay...?"

"I have something important to ask you, and you've gotta be honest, got it?" Jaune's eyes were more intense than Blake had ever seen them. She nodded her assent.

"Okay, here goes." He took a deep breath. "D'you like Yang?" His face was a perfect imitation of the :D emoticon.

"...Was that it?" Blake asked. "What the hell Jaune, I thought it was something important!"

"Love is important," Jaune answered with a sage nod. "Now ANSWER THE QUESTION."

"Aren't you a grown man? You're acting like a 12 year old," Blake said with thinly veiled annoyance.

"Well, Pyrrha always says I'm young at heart," he replied with a grin. "Now c'moooon, tell me!"

Blake's annoyance burst to the surface in an instant.

"Can you grow up?!" she exploded. "Stop sticking your nose into things that aren't any of your business! There is nothing, NOTHING, between me and Yang, okay?"

Jaune immediately backed down, looking genuinely hurt and ashamed. "Oh. I'm, uh, I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Yeah, you should be," Blake growled, still a little irritated. "And stop with the teasing too. It's unnecessary."

"I will," Jaune agreed. "I didn't realize it was bothering you that much, I'm really sorry." They stood in awkward silence for a few seconds. Then Jaune cleared his throat again.

"But hey, can I at least explain myself a little bit? I promise I'll stop it either way." Blake frowned slightly at him but nodded.

"Thanks," he sighed. "I'm sorry I've been such a child, but it's only because I care about Yang so much, I promise! She and Ruby are like my sisters. Y'know, to go with my other seven," he said with a chuckle. Blake's frown didn't waver. Jaune shifted uncomfortably.

"Uhh, so, I really want them to be happy," he continued earnestly. "And you make Yang happier than I've seen her in years." Blake's eyes widened at that.

"Really?" she asked. Jaune smiled warmly.

"Really." He paused to collect his thoughts. "So yeah, that's the reason I've been teasing you two all the time. She's crazy about you, Blake. And I guess I thought you were into her too." He rubbed the back of his head. "I definitely misread things there."

Blake looked intently at the ground, her face suddenly feeling hot and fuzzy. Yang was...crazy about her? She waited a moment before responding.

"Are you saying Yang is into girls?" she asked finally.

"Uhhhhhh." Jaune looked like a deer in the headlights. "You should...you're gonna have to ask her that."

"You pretty much already told me..." Blake stated slowly. "I was just checking."

"Ahhhhhh." He shifted as though he was about to make a break for it.

"It's okay Jaune, I won't tell her that you told me," Blake reassured him. Jaune's shoulders slumped in relief.

"Oh my god, **thank you** ," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Guess that means you're straight, right? Can't believe I got you so wrong."

Then his eyes widened. "Wait, that's personal, you don't have to answer that!"

Blake laughed a little. "I'm bi," she stated plainly. She began walking away from him. "And just between us, I think Yang is kinda cute," she finished, making the understatement of the year.

Jaune's excited face reappeared with a vengeance. "Whoa, what?! Hey WAIT!"

"No teasing," Blake reminded him sharply. She continued her hasty retreat, leaving him glued to the spot, bouncing up and down slightly in almost comical excitement.

By the time Blake returned to the donation table, several families and groups had already entered the gala. Yang was greeting every arrival personally, leading the children to the balloons to they could select the color of their choice. Blake felt a small smile work its way onto her face as she watched Yang tell some joke to a small dark-haired girl. The girl giggled and accepted her balloon gratefully. Her parents purchased several raffle tickets from Ruby, then each took one of their daughter's hands to lead her to the nearest craft table.

Just then, the first band began playing, enveloping the scene in upbeat acoustic guitar music. Blake approached the table, sitting next to Ruby to help take in the donation money. Yang grinned at her.

"It's going well, right? That's not just me being naive?" she asked. Blake smiled back.

"It's going well," she assured her. Ruby nodded her enthusiastic agreement.

Four hours later, the gala was in full swing, and Blake found herself oddly unoccupied. Yang was darting around seemingly tirelessly, taking photos, talking to citizens, entertaining children, and networking with politicians and big-name potential donors. Even Weiss Schnee had shown up, much to Blake's surprise. It seemed that she actually did intend to negotiate properly with Yang on the factory issue. It also seemed that she had taken a liking to Ruby, seeing as they had been wandering the gala together for the past hour while Jaune and Pyrrha manned the donation table.

Blake usually enjoyed her own company, but she found herself getting bored of the area without Yang beside her. She watched the bands and other performers for a while, then proceeded to investigate a few of the local vendors. It was pretty amazing how many groups they had been able to involve in the event, and Blake felt a surge of pride seeing all of the plans finally come to fruition.

Now that it was getting dark, all of the lights they had strung up had become illuminated, bathing the fairgrounds in a serene glow. The gala was at its most crowded now as droves of teenagers arrived to see the headlining band. Blake drifted over to the stage area but kept a safe distance from the growing throng of SSSN fans. She paused to wave to Ruby and Penny as she passed by.

"Hello Blake!" Penny called while Ruby waved back cheerfully. Weiss, who was standing beside the two of them, surprised Blake by actually acknowledging her existence with a brief head nod. Blake nodded back and even gave her a brief smile before continuing on her way.

"And a pleasure to meet you, Weiss!" Penny was saying. "So how long have you and Ruby been together?"

"Um, excuse me?"

"PENNY!" Ruby's entire face turned red, and Blake noticed Weiss' cheeks flushing as well.

She chuckled silently as she walked past them and Ruby frantically tried to brush off Penny's comment.

"That explains a lot," Blake mused to herself as she neared the stage. She looked around for an isolated area to watch, but the whole space was packed with people. Peering to the far right of the stage, she spotted an old piece of scaffolding that the crew had elected not to tear down that morning. Blake made a beeline for it, carefully stepping over the rope around it and ignoring the "Do Not Enter" sign. Luckily this edge of the grounds was dimly lit, allowing her to cautiously climb to the top platform without attracting any attention.

Once she was satisfied that she was out of view, Blake settled into her spot. She exhaled deeply. Even though she had kept to herself for most of the gala, just being constantly surrounded by people had made her exhausted. She closed her eyes and leaned back against one of the beams of the scaffolding, enjoying the light evening breeze on her face and reflecting on the incredibly long day. So much had happened, and yet she found herself again fixated on Jaune's comment. Yang was crazy about her, whatever that meant. And he thought Blake was crazy about her too. Ridiculous, Blake thought to herself. Yang's brash, loud personality clashed with Blake's in every way. She was the sort of person who should've annoyed her to no end. But she didn't. In a turn of events that felt oddly inevitable, Blake had instead been irreversibly drawn to Yang's humor, her compassion, her loyalty.

"Shit," Blake muttered to herself, finally opening her eyes. It was possible that she had carelessly developed a _very_ slight crush on her employer. Luckily, any further inconvenient emotional revelations were postponed by the sound of sudden high-pitched screaming from below her.

The band had walked onto the stage, prompting shrieks from the mostly female audience clustered around them. The boys were soaking it up, jumping and flexing as they took their places. Sun, who was actually wearing a shirt for once, grabbed the mic and yelled out a greeting that was largely unintelligible from Blake's distant vantage point. The crowd got even louder in response and even Blake could see Sun's wide grin at their enthusiasm. He yelled out something else then pointed to Sage, who began drumming out a fast-paced beat as Neptune provided a solid bass line.

Scarlet came in with a catchy guitar riff, eliciting further screaming from the audience, who only quieted slightly when Sun started singing. Even if the music wasn't her style, Blake had to admit that he had a good voice. He was also a natural showman, whirling the mic around and dancing as he sang. It only took two and a half songs before his tight shirt came off to a chorus of the loudest screams so far. He flung in into the crowd, probably giving some teenage girl a heart attack, before returning to the song.

As the tune came to a close, Blake suddenly felt the scaffolding shaking slightly. She immediately stiffened. Someone seemed to be climbing up to her platform. Blake looked around frantically for an escape route, but a blonde head popped up from the edge before she could move.

"Well hello there!" Yang said in a chipper voice. "Guess you missed the 'Do Not Enter' sign, yeah?"

Blake sighed in a mixture of relief and annoyance. "You came up too."

"True. But only because I knew you'd be here." Yang plopped down next to her and offered a grin.

"Oh really? And how exactly did you deduce that, Miss Marple?"

"It was simple," Yang explained. She began ticking things off on her fingers. "You hate loud noises and crowds, you like being in the dark, and you always go for the high ground. You're basically a cat." Blake rolled her eyes.

"So, you enjoying the show?" Yang asked.

"They're pretty good," Blake replied. "Sun certainly knows how to get a crowd going."

Yang's smile flickered almost imperceptibly. "Yeah, for sure," she replied. "You like him?"

"Sure?" One curious eyebrow crept up at the sudden question. "I barely know him. He seems nice I guess."

Yang nodded vigorously. "Yep, he's great," she said quickly, turning her attention to the band. Blake scanned her carefully from the corner of her eye. The lights from below illuminated her face, bathing it in an almost golden glow. Her violet eyes now shined the same color as her hair.

"So how did the gala do?" Blake asked in a soft voice. "No one else gave you a hard time about the hair, right?"

"Nah," Yang responded. "I got plenty of questions, but people seemed pretty impressed once I explained the bullying prevention thing." She gave Blake a gentle smile. "Thanks for bailing me out of that one."

"You would've thought of something."

"Aww, thanks!" Yang leaned just a tiny bit closer to Blake. "Oh and yeah, we made BANK on this gala. That'll teach that piece of crap Mercury."

"That's great news," Blake said sincerely. "We exceeded the goal then?"

Yang grinned at her. "Try double it."

Blake's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"All credit goes to Ruby," Yang said fondly, her pride for her sister shining through. "And to you of course."

"I...didn't do much."

"C'mon, just admit that you're awesome!" She nudged Blake's side eagerly. Blake felt her face heat up from the praise. Just then another loud wave of screaming distracted them both momentarily.

"Ooh, here comes their most popular song," Yang explained. They sat quietly for a minute as Sun sang along to a slightly slower love song. Blake suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to be closer to Yang. She sat for a second in panic, feeling her heart hammering in her chest. Then, summoning her courage, she quickly scooted over, bumping their shoulders together in her haste.

"Uhh, you good, Blakey?"

"It's cold," Blake said, her voice thankfully remaining steady.

"Oh." Yang nodded her understanding. They sat still for another minute, Blake happily basking in the warmth that Yang seemed to constantly radiate. Yang shifted slightly, and Blake tensed, expecting her to move away. But Yang simply reached her arm around, draping it over Blake's shoulders and causing her heartbeat to approach a jackhammer rate. Blake cautiously leaned against Yang, who held her a little tighter in response.

The song came to an end, and Blake was torn between a feeling of deep contentment and a struggle to remember how breathing worked.

"Blake?" Yang pulled away so that they could look at each other. Blake looked back at her, not trusting herself to speak. For a moment, Yang seemed speechless as well, her eyes silently moving down to Blake's lips. Then, she slowly leaned her head forward, heedless of the major heart palpitations she was triggering.

"YAAAAANG? Are you up there?"

Blake shot backwards while Yang jumped about a foot in the air, slamming her head into the wooden beam above them with a loud thud.

"OW, god! Ruby, what do you want?" Yang stuck her face out from the scaffolding. She rubbed the bump on the back of her head in irritation.

"Oh, sorry!" Ruby called up to her. "Mayor Ozpin wanted to say hi to you," she explained. "...Why are you up there?"

Yang waved her hands dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I"m coming down." She swung her legs over the side of the platform to begin her descent. Blake locked eyes with her, then quickly looked away. Yang chuckled nervously in response.

"I'll talk to you later, Blake," she whispered so that Ruby wouldn't hear. Blake nodded wordlessly, still intently studying the grainy wood of the scaffolding structure. She only looked up once Yang had disappeared from view. The two sisters walked away, their voices rapidly fading within the cacophony of screaming fans and pop rock rhythm.

Blake stared straight in front of her. The moon hung low in the sky, a pale white circle that looked almost out of place in the endless darkness. It had been abandoned by the stars, concealed as they were by the lights of the gala. Although when Blake strained her eyes she could vaguely discern a few faint points of light indicating the brightest stars among them. Or were those planets? It didn't matter.

She lightly touched her lips with her fingertips. She could almost feel Yang there, as if the memory of what hadn't happened was now physically part of her. The band had started another song, but Blake couldn't hear anything over the rushing of her blood through her head, over the deafening sound of her own thoughts and feelings screaming in her ears. She pulled out her pen and spun it several times in quick succession, nearly dropping it in the process. Her hands were shaking.

"Shit," Blake said again, her voice scarcely a whisper.

 **AN:** **Sorry for blue-balling the kiss lol. But A+ for Blake finally acknowledging her feelings? Anyway, thanks for reading as always and drop a review if you'd like, they always make my day! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

The conference table was more disorganized than Blake had ever seen it. A massive map of Vale covered most of it, with stacks of other documents, including spreadsheets, lists, and city correspondence, clustered around and on top of it. Even during the height of gala planning, it had never reached this level of haphazard clutter. Weiss, sitting diagonally from Blake with her back perfectly straight, seemed to be consciously stopping herself from commenting on the disarray in front of her.

Blake awkwardly fiddled with her pen under the table. It was strange enough seeing Weiss back in this room after the legendary shouting match that had occurred the last time she had made a visit. But the discomfort was amplified by the fact that Weiss had shown up a full 13 minutes early, while Yang, in typical Yang fashion, would most likely arrive one or two minutes before the scheduled meeting time. This left Blake with nearly—she discreetly checked her watched—eight minutes of sitting in awkward silence without any distractions.

Weiss had busied herself with completing a visual inspection of every inch of her surroundings, peering out of the windows and shooting quick glances at Blake every so often, who avoided eye contact and spun her pen through her fingers anxiously. Finally, Weiss clasped her hands on the table in front of her, then cleared her throat suggestively.

Blake looked up at her briefly. "The Councilwoman will be here shortly," she stated in a monotone.

Weiss nodded. "I understand," she replied. "But I actually wanted to speak with you. Your name is Blake, correct?"

"Yes." Blake twirled her pen between her first two fingers. While she appreciated that Weiss had elected to give the Beacon Park negotiations a fair chance, she still had no desire to chat with her.

"No need to be so taciturn," Weiss said with a huff. "I was only going to ask you what she's like."

Blake's eyebrows knitted. "You want to know about Yang?"

"If she and I are going to be working together, then it seems prudent to know how she operates," Weiss explained. Blake halted the pen, holding it firmly in her hand.

"You're actually serious about this." Despite her residual anger at Weiss' previous behavior, Blake found herself impressed by the woman's resolve.

"Of course I am!" she responded. "I would not make a decision like this lightly."

Blake nodded her approval. "That's good. And to answer your question, Yang is far more intelligent than she seems. Her ideas may seem...far-fetched. But she can make things happen that nobody else can."

"Hm." Weiss unclasped her hands and pressed her lips together. "You certainly know how to hype her up."

"You asked," Blake said with a shrug. "So here's a question for you." Weiss raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Last time you were here, you were ready to bite Yang's head off. Why the change of heart?"

Weiss grimaced slightly at the question. "I realize that I was quite rude to you both last time. And I apologize for that." Her face looked like she was in the middle of getting a particularly nasty cavity filled, though Blake imagined that Weiss was the type to have flawless dental hygiene.

"But nevertheless, I did reconsider my somewhat hasty decision about the factory following that conversation. Which is why I'm back here now," Weiss finished.

Blake smirked a little. "So nobody else helped you with that reconsidering process?"

Weiss' eyes opened in surprise, then narrowed suspiciously. Blake even thought she could see the hint of a blush on her pale cheeks. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"Nothing at all," Blake replied, raising her hands innocently. Just then, the person they were both thinking of barged into the room in a typically fast-paced fashion.

"Hi Weiss! Hi Blake!" she greeted eagerly. "Yang asked me to be here for this meeting in case you guys need some, um, 'mediation,' I think was the word she used."

"Good morning Ruby," Blake answered. Weiss didn't even acknowledge her, looking intently at the wall directly ahead of her instead. Ruby, not dissuaded in the slightest, approached her fearlessly and took a seat right beside her, across from Blake.

"How's it going, Weiss?" she asked. "Thanks again for coming in!"

"Yes, of course. I'm not unreasonable." Weiss' voice sounded just as rigid as her spine was at the moment. Blake's mouth curled slightly at the word "unreasonable," but she regained her neutral expression before Weiss could notice and presumably have a fit.

"I-I know that!" Ruby responded. She was clearly taking great care not to offend or provoke the Schnee CEO in any way, and both Weiss and Blake picked up on it.

Weiss finally looked over at Ruby's wide-eyed, innocent gaze. "Calm down, you don't have to walk on eggshells. I'm not going to attack anyone," she said sharply. Blake couldn't restrain herself at that.

"Well, it might help if you smile instead of scowling," she commented wryly.

"Great advice from the serial brooder," Weiss shot back. Blake's expression darkened slightly.

"Uhh, okay let's all take a breath," Ruby suggested. Weiss looked ready to make another remark but luckily the door swung wide again before she could even open her mouth.

The three of them turned to see Yang, dressed impeccably in one of her suits, enter the room gracefully. Blake knew that she had likely come straight from her debate preparation with Qrow, though the man himself was nowhere to be seen. With the debate coming up, the two of them had been spending even more time together, which was, unfortunately, only escalating the tensions that had been mounting since the gala and Qrow's harsh reaction to what was now known around campaign headquarters as the Great Purple Hair Crisis of 2016. The hair itself, which Yang was now running a hand through to disguise a nervousness that Blake immediately noticed, had been re-dyed to a slightly more noticeable shade of purple. Qrow had eventually come around to the idea, but he hadn't been too pleased.

"Vale has been pretty behind the times on this. And while I wish it weren't the case, this town isn't ready for an openly gay politician," he had explained to Yang one morning as Blake sorted through some files on the other side of the office.

"Well then, it's a good thing there aren't any openly gay politicians running," Yang replied. Blake was turned away from her, but regardless, she could almost see the fire burning in her eyes.

Qrow sighed deeply. "You know what I mean," he said quietly. He had left the room shortly after that, and neither Yang nor Blake commented further on the conversation. They hadn't spoken about the incident at the fairgrounds either. When Yang had tried to kiss her. Or, at least, that's what Blake thought she had been doing. Now that several days had passed, she was beginning to think that she had read into things, that there must be some other explanation. Why else would Yang be carrying on as if nothing had happened? Well, almost happened.

"Hello everyone," Yang stated in her practiced professional voice. "Ms. Schnee, I'm very glad to see you again." Some of the professionalism was lost when she sent Weiss one of her classic grins.

Weiss, for her part, nodded politely, and even went so far as to stand up to shake Yang's hand. She accepted the handshake, clearly slightly taken aback by the unexpected display of civility.

"Shall we get started, then?" Weiss suggested. Yang nodded enthusiastically.

"Right, yeah. So what we've got spread around here - sorry about the mess by the way - is a few of the ideas we have for the factory construction that avoid demolishing Beacon Park." Yang began pointing out a few top contenders for Weiss' benefit.

Blake smiled a little. Both of the women appeared to be comfortable with the encounter as they were focusing on the business side of things. She glanced up at Ruby, who was smiling as well, pleased that no arguments had erupted from the get-go. The peace was tragically short-lived.

"Are you crazy?" Weiss asked sharply. "Absolutely not. The factory simply cannot be outside of city limits."

Yang's easy smile disappeared just as easily. "And why exactly not? It's not too far outside of the city. The commute would be under an hour even from the other side of Vale!"

Weiss tsked. "It's not about that, you— Um, in any case, our vision for this factory is not only to revitalize Vale, but also to be a centralized hub for Schnee operations as well as to function as a tourist attraction."

"Isn't a park better for tourism than a factory?" Blake asked.

"Of course. But the park doesn't make money for Schnee shareholders," Weiss said bluntly. "When my father first pitched this factory, he emphasized the tourism aspect as well. People want to know where the Schnee products that they know and love come from."

"You don't have to pitch it to us," Yang muttered. Weiss gave her a mocking glare.

"I'm only explaining why we simply cannot move the factory beyond city limits. Perhaps if you paid attention you would know that."

Yang looked about ready to punch her in the throat, but she instead closed her eyes a took a deep breath, rubbing the bridge of her nose in agitation.

"Maybe we should go through some other suggestions?" Ruby offered.

"Great idea," Blake chimed in. "Another possible alternative to building over the park would be to shift to one of these two nearby sites. Here—" she stood and pointed to a spot on the map "—although as a trade off, the factory would have to be almost 30% smaller. Or if that's too big of a sacrifice, you could go here—" she pointed again "—and would have to level this street. Luckily, it's already quite dilapidated, and there are only a few residents who would need to relocate. If you provide financial—"

"Out of the question," Weiss interrupted.

Blake's hand unconsciously clenched into a fist around her pen. "I wasn't finished explaining."

"Well, it's out of the question!" Weiss repeated impatiently. "The factory absolutely cannot be smaller than it is, and paying to move people and demolish their houses is an additional cost that the Schnee company refuses to pay."

"Weiss—" Blake started aggressively.

"Uhh, what she means to say," Yang cut in. "Is that you'll have to make some sort of compromise on this factory, Ms. Schnee. There's no way we can do this unless you meet us halfway. Or, like, at least a quarter of the way?" Blake sighed through her nose and sat back down. For some reason everything about Weiss Schnee managed to push her buttons.

Weiss looked unimpressed. "You're asking me to agree to things that my shareholders would never tolerate."

"Alright, so maybe we can't reduce the size of the factory or move it out of the city," Yang conceded. "But how about you demolish that street Blake was talking about and then put it there? You could spin it as public service to help revitalize that part of town."

To Yang's credit, Weiss actually considered that idea. For about 2 seconds.

"Absolutely not," she said again. "Aiding the public is well and good, but it only hurts our bottom line. Plus being located in that area of town isn't ideal, you know. It's...less than reputable."

"I grew up in that part of town," Blake stated, drawing several surprised looks. "The people there feel stuck. They don't think that other people, or the government, or certainly not big corporations, care about them in the slightest. Think about how much it would mean to them if a Schnee factory was built there and hired people from nearby."

"It's not realistic. My shareholders—"

"Is all you care about money?"

Weiss fell silent, glaring fiercely back at Blake, who immediately regretted opening her mouth. Ruby and Yang stared between the two of them, matching expressions of shock and mild horror on their faces.

"Of course not. Why do you think I'm here?"

"Right, I'm sorry," Blake muttered quietly. Weiss said nothing in response, instead turning her attention to Yang.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Uh, what?"

"Those were all of your bright ideas?" Weiss asked again.

"Well, yeah those are the main ones," Yang started, clearly uncomfortable. "But I'm sure if we revisit the options and think it over, we can work out something that would be mutually beneficial."

"Doubtful," Weiss said coldly. Ruby opened her mouth to speak but Weiss silenced her with a shake of her head. "Yang. I'm sticking my neck out for you and for Beacon Park right now, and if my father or my shareholders even thought I was meeting with you over this, I would be crucified." She paused for emphasis. "So I will need you to stop fooling around and offer an idea that I can work with. Within the next two weeks. Understand?"

Yang's mouth dropped open. "Wha—how do you expect me to do that when you shot down literally everything we offered?"

"I suppose you'll have to think of something else," Weiss fired back.

Rubbing her temples with her fingertips, Yang collapsed into the chair next to Blake, who was now openly glowering at Weiss.

"Weiss—Ms. Schnee, I can't..." she lowered her hands. "Weiss, please, we're on the same side here," she pleaded. "Maybe if you could try to think of something yourself that would fit your requirements?"

"Are you daft? I have a company to run in case you've forgotten. I have no time to draw up business plans for a factory that has already been approved." Weiss looked to be fuming herself. Ruby, who had cautiously moved next to her, gently laid a hand on her arm.

"Weiss, um, you are kinda asking for a lot?"

The woman in question looked between the three of them, then sighed. "I know that. But I meant what I said. My career will be destroyed if I fail, and any plan that results in the Schnee company taking a financial loss will be a failure." Her voice was slightly gentler now, and Blake noted the calming effect that Ruby's mere presence seemed to have on the Ice Queen.

"I understand," Yang replied simply. "Can you meet us again next week? I'll see what I can think of in the meantime."

Weiss hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Very well. I'll need to go for now, I have to speak with my father." The tooth-pulling expression was back and stronger than before.

"Thanks again for coming," Yang said, jumping to her feet to shake her hand again.

"Always a pleasure," Blake said. Her voice and expression made it impossible to tell if she was being sarcastic or not.

"Of course," Weiss responded, giving Blake a final distrustful look. She collected her bag and swept out of the room. Ruby stood still for a moment, shifting uncomfortably, until some impulse won her over and she quickly moved to follow her.

"I'm just gonna..." She left the sentence unfinished and exited the room, leaving Blake and Yang to exchange a glance. Ruby skittered after Weiss, catching up to her at the door of the main office. Weiss' severely irritated expression would have put off nearly anyone else, but Ruby approached her regardless, and was pleasantly surprised when Weiss made no move to storm off through the doorway.

"What?" she asked shortly. Ruby halted directly in front of her and wisely considered her next words.

"Why are you so nice to me and so awful to Yang?" she asked finally. The question was posed with such innocent curiosity that Weiss knew she had to answer. She exhaled heavily.

"Fine. You really want to know?" Ruby nodded vigorously. "I'm terrible to her because she's everything I wish I could be." Weiss took another deep breath.

"I'm not like the rest of you. I was always separated from people my age by Father, and I never had any friends that weren't using me for my family and our money."

"I—I'm sorry," Ruby said softly. Weiss shook her head.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad for me. But you need to realize that I never learned how to properly interact with anyone outside of my family's business associates. And attempting to do so has been very frustrating for me." She fiddled with the bottom of her blouse a little. "Your sister…It's always be easy for her. She's so stupidly charismatic. And she's so confident and strong. She doesn't—" She stopped abruptly and cleared her throat.

"In any case, does that answer your question?"

"I…" Ruby couldn't think of an intelligent response.

"As for why I'm nice to you, well, I would've thought you could figure that one out for yourself." Weiss said sharply. Ruby stared at her in adorable confusion, as though she was perfecting her lost-puppy stare.

Back in the conference room, Blake halfheartedly cleaned up some of the papers strewn about the table, a dark expression permanently affixed to her face. Yang sat silently in her chair, deep in thought and not quite registering anything in front of her.

"Sorry." Yang jolted out of her stupor at the noise and immediately looked up at Blake expectantly. But no other words followed, and Yang's brow slowly creased in confusion and concern.

"For what?" she said finally. Blake straightened up a stack of financial statements.

"Arguing with Schnee. I really didn't help our case."

Yang shook her head. "It's not your fault. She's being difficult, but I guess it's for a good reason." She shrugged, hauling herself up from the seat to help Blake tidy. "There's nothing to do but try to figure out another proposal. There's gotta be something we can do..."

Blake nodded at that.

"Anyway. What d'you think they're talking about out there?" Yang asked, jerking her head towards the wall that Ruby and Weiss were presumably behind. "I'm so glad Ruby somehow managed to make friends with her."

"Possibly more than friends," Blake added. Yang jolted again.

"Is that a joke? Ruby an-and Ice Queen?" Her eyebrows shot nearly off of her face.

"Take a look for yourself," Blake replied, a half smile sliding onto her face. She motioned towards the window in the conference room door, through which the duo could be seen.

Yang whirled and stared intently through the window at them, her eyes narrowing. They were indeed standing suspiciously close together and seemed to be conversing quietly.

"What are they -" she cut off abruptly, her mouth dropping open as Weiss shifted uncomfortably, then swiftly darted forward to plant a kiss on Ruby's cheek.

"WHAT?!" Yang nearly screamed. Luckily, neither of them heard her outburst since Weiss was retreating from the office, nearly running in her haste. Ruby, for her part, was locked in place, slowly turning redder and redder as the blood rushed to her head. Yang spun back around to face Blake, who was still smiling smugly.

"Called it."

 **AN:** **Happy Thanksgiving for any Americans and Happy 23th of November for everyone else! I'm back from the dead again wooo! Hopefully I can get the next chapter up soon-ish - thanks for sticking with me 3**


	12. Chapter 12

The debate wasn't a big deal. That's what Yang kept telling herself as the minutes ticked down to the opening statements. She had prepared with Qrow as much as humanly possible, she had drilled how to flawlessly articulate all of her positions, she knew the weaknesses in her opponent's. And yet she still found herself sitting backstage with her hands clasped and locked between her knees because they wouldn't stop shaking.

The past week hadn't been one of her best. The constant debate preparations were really wearing her out, and no progress had been made with Weiss on the plan to save Beacon Park. Brainstorming sessions with Blake and Ruby got nowhere, Qrow was advising giving up and addressing it post-election, and a second meeting with Weiss had been no more fruitful than the last one. If anything, it had been worse, although for once it wasn't Yang who lost her cool.

"Are you entirely incapable of compromise?" Blake had spat at Weiss during a particularly heated exchange.

"Are you incapable of rational thought?" Weiss said with a huff.

Luckily Ruby had stepped in to prevent further escalation and diffused the situation quite well. Yang was continually impressed by how great her baby sister was as a leader and mediator. Unfortunately, Weiss and Blake seemed to clash at every turn, and Yang had even started to seriously consider asking Blake to sit out for the next meeting.

Yang exhaled softly and bit her lip. Realistically, she knew she couldn't ask that. She could exactly picture the hurt expression that would flash through Blake's eyes, which she would then hastily cover up in feigned indifference. It was the same expression that she had seen two weeks prior, the day after the gala. When she entered the office that morning, Blake - on her way to the copier - stopped dead in her tracks to look at her. Clearly she wanted some follow-up, some mere acknowledgement of what had happened (or almost happened) the night before. But Yang just hit her and Ruby with some finger guns and the customary "how's it Yangin' you two?" And that's when Blake got that look in her eyes, and Yang got a feeling like the floor had dropped out from under her.

Yang shook herself out of her stupor. Clearly, she wasn't going to ask anything of Blake that would conjure up that expression again. Her hands were shaking worse than before now, and she checked the time on her phone nervously. Three minutes before she had to be onstage. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to calm down. It's not a big deal. Just a debate, You've done these before. Anyway, it's a mayoral race, barely anyone's watching. There's absolutely no reason to be nervous. Her hands stubbornly continued to tremble.

"Hey kid." Yang opened her eyes and looked up at her uncle.

"I know you wanted some time alone before it starts, but at least let me wish you good luck one more time." Qrow paused, scratched his chin, then shook his head. "Nah, screw that. Luck is bullshit anyway. You're gonna be amazing because you worked your damn ass off for this. And they're gonna love you out there, got it?" He offered her a crooked smile.

Yang smiled back. "Thanks Qrow," she replied, feeling slightly calmer. He ruffled her hair a little, but not enough to ruin her careful styling.

"There she is," he said, his voice gruff but warm. "Oh and before I forget, your 'employee' asked me to give me this. Said it might help with some nerves." He fished in his pocket for a second, then extracted a fancy black pen with silver detailing. "I dunno what she was talking about, but here you go I guess."

Yang gingerly took the pen from his hand, her smiling getting wider. By now, the weight was familiar to her, and she gave it a quick spin.

"Nice trick," Qrow stated, looking mildly surprised that she didn't drop it. He glanced at his watch and nodded. "Alright firecracker, time to get out there and kick that pretentious rich kid's ass."

"He'll never know what hit him," Yang said, tightening her grip on Blake's pen.

Blake fiddled with her shirt sleeve as she waited with bated breath for the politicians to enter the stage. It was interesting how much had changed in the past few months. The day she had met Yang, her primary feeling toward Vale's politicians had been annoyance. But now here she was, more invested in the mayoral race than she even could have predicted, her fingers shaking with nervousness on Yang's behalf.

A light touch to her shoulder brought her back to the present moment. "Don't worry Blake, Yang is gonna totally nail this!" Blake worked up a small smile in response to Ruby's grin. If there was one thing that made it obvious that those two were related, it was definitely that. At first, Blake found it hard to believe how often and how easily they could smile. At this point though, she considered the the optimism to be both endearing and a welcome relief from the stress of the campaign.

Blake glanced to her left - past Ruby and Qrow - to the other side of the hall. Emerald's green hair was easily visible even in the dim light. Beside her sat Cinder, smirking as always as she waited for the candidates to enter the stage. And past Cinder, Blake could just barely discern a third figure from the Black campaign. She squinted and leaned forward, but couldn't detect any features beyond a shock of red, spiky hair as the figure leaned in to converse with Cinder. Cinder smiled and shook her head at something before leaning back in her seat. Blake leaned forward again, pointedly ignoring the weird look that Ruby was giving her. But the crowd quieted before she could investigate the new character further.

On stage, the moderator Lisa Lavender (primetime anchor of the Vale News Network) had launched into an introduction of the candidates. Blake mostly tuned out as she fidgeted in nervous anticipation. It wasn't until Lisa stopped talking and the crowd applauded that Blake managed to fully return to the present moment. She clapped lightly as the candidates entered the stage, Yang from one side and Mercury from the other.

Yang took her spot behind the middle podium and gave Blake a quick look. She looked a bit pale, but still managed to give Blake a wink and a half-smile, tapping the pen lightly on the podium. Blake smiled back at her and mouthed 'you can do it,' though she was unsure if Yang would be able to see in the darkness of the hall.

Mercury had also taken his spot at the podium to Yang's left and was smirking and waving to the crowd. But the final podium, to Yang's right, was still empty.

"Ah, my apologies everyone! I've just received word that Dr. Peach, the remaining candidate in this debate, will not be making an appearance tonight." Lisa Lavender gestured to a couple stagehands to move the podium away.

"Seriously? Didn't even show up to the debate?" Ruby whispered to Blake, a drop of sweat forming on her forehead above a thoroughly exasperated expression. Blake just shook her head bemusedly.

"Well then, moving on from that change of plans - it's time for opening statements from our two candidates!" Lavender announced. "Mr. Black, you get to make your statement first. You have 1 minute starting now."

Mercury smiled and brushed his hair back smoothly with one hand. The crowd was completely silent as they all waited for him to speak.

"Good evening citizens of Vale, and thank you very much for joining us tonight for this debate. Local political processes are vitally important, and it is incredible to have so many who are engaged in the process. I am honored and humbled to stand before you today as one of the candidates to be the next mayor of Vale! It's easy to see why I am the best man for the job. I have business connections to Vale companies - big and small - and I know firsthand how to spur innovation and growth. My opponent, on the other hand, is woefully unprepared to deal with such real world issues. She doesn't understand how to help small business, how to protect our city from crime, and how to return Vale to the greatness of the pre-Ozpin era. I mean, it only takes a look at her hair to see how immature and childish Miss Xiao Long is!" He paused to enjoy the laughter from the crowd.

Blake gritted her teeth. All she wanted right now was to jump up onto the stage and punch him right in the nose. She glanced at Yang, who was standing still and gripping her pen, surprisingly calm in the face of Mercury's attacks.

"But seriously folks, this is the future of Vale that's on the line here. It's irresponsible for _all of us_ to hand over our future and our children's futures to someone so young and hotheaded. Trust me when I say that a Black-led Vale will enjoy unprecedented security, economic growth, and prosperity for all. Thank you." The audience applauded loudly and Mercury gave them another smile and a wave.

Once they finally quieted, Lisa Lavender cleared her throat and turned to Yang. "Alright Councilwoman Xiao Long, go ahead with your opening statement. One minute on the clock."

Yang smiled and nodded to her. Her eyes darted to Blake - who gave her a gentle smile - one more time before she started to speak.

"Hello everyone! Thank you all for being here - it's really a privilege to be a part of the Vale mayoral race of 2016! I want to start by saying that my opponent's accusations about my inexperience are just not true. Take a look at my record - and yes I have a record!" Yang winked as the crowd chuckled. "- and you'll see how much I've already done to improve Vale. As for my hair, well..." She paused to give it a flip. "I think it's important for politicians to take concrete stands to support their constituents, and especially those most in need of our help. That's why I'm drawing attention to National Bullying Prevention month and Spirit Day in this way - it's not some youthful rebellion I assure you!" She smiled sincerely at the crowd, who clapped in response. Blake snuck a glance towards the Black campaign members where Emerald was openly glowering at Yang. Clearly she still couldn't believe that Yang had gotten the best of her. Blake felt a smile grow on her own face.

"In addition, I've got several ideas on how to improve the great city of Vale," Yang continued. "Like I said, it's extremely important for leaders to take concrete steps to better their towns, cities, or states. That's why I'm committed to expanding Mayor Ozpin's mental health programs, improving public safety - especially in more impoverished areas of town - and of course saving Beacon Park!" The last comment drew a rousing round of applause.

"Thank you, and thanks for being here tonight!" Yang concluded with another grin. The crowd applauded one more time, and Blake was pretty certain it was louder than any acknowledgement Mercury had received. He was maintaining a perfectly pleasant poker face, although his eyes were cold and steely.

"Great, thank you both for your statements," Lavender said when the crowd quieted down. "We'll now move into the question and answer portion of the debate. These questions were sent in by viewers and selected for the debate. We will be alternating questions to each candidate, and you both will have 2 minutes to respond followed by 6 minutes of open debate and discussion." Mercury and Yang both nodded in response.

"The first question is about healthcare. Current Mayor Ozpin's mental health initiative has been functioning well in wealthier portions of Vale, but poorer areas have been left behind. How do you plan to address the mental health epidemic as Mayor? Councilwoman Xiao Long, you have the first response. Two minutes."

Blake bit her lip slightly and looked at Yang, who twirled the pen once then set it down. It wasn't a very hard question, and Blake knew that she had her answer down solidly. It was the open debate time that was the problem.

"Thanks Lisa - that's a great question. As I said in my opening statement, I'm a big supporter of Mayor Ozpin's program, and I definitely want to build on it as Mayor. Providing free basic counseling and anonymous support services is great, but those services only help people who one - " she held up a finger, " - have access to them, and two - " another finger, " - know about them." Blake nodded along cautiously as Yang proceeded through her talking points.

"Under the current set-up, the only locations to access these health services are available are at Vale General and at a satellite location in City Hall. Both of these are on the more...endowed side of town. Not to mention that some people may not feel comfortable receiving care at those facilities. As part of my mental health plan, I'd like to expand to include one or possibly two more locations in Vale. And I would of course poll community members to find the best locations for them before moving forward." From the corner of her eye, Blake could see Qrow and Ruby nodding along as well.

"We also need a more rigorous advertising campaign for the new services so that more people can take advantage of them. One specific avenue I'm looking into is a bus campaign, since we have several bus routes that go through target areas, where car ownership is statistically low. I've been speaking to my colleagues at City Hall about what else we can do to spread the word."

"That's time," Lisa Lavender cut in.

"So to conclude, I'm highly committed to expanding current mental health programs so that they're accessible to everyone in Vale, not just a privileged few," Yang continued calmly. "Thank you." Another convincing round of applause followed and Yang flashed her dazzling grin.

"Mr. Black, your response?"

"Thank you Lisa." Mercury smiled, and Blake noted how sinister and fake it looked after seeing Yang's genuine smile. Or maybe that was just her imagination.

"I think we all know that Ozpin's 'program' is a disaster," Mercury continued. "It would take an unreasonable amount of money to do what Miss Xiao Long here suggests to try to make it less of a disaster. As Mayor, I would repeal his attempt and replace it with something more financially feasible."

Blake watched tensely as Yang's "polite listening face," which Qrow had coached her on seemingly endlessly, started to falter.

"Jesus Christ Yang, you can't succeed as a politician if you plaster your emotions all over your face all the time!" Qrow had exploded a few days prior.

"Oh you mean EXACTLY what you're doing right now?" Yang shot back.

Qrow laughed humorlessly. "Yeah? Which one of us is debating in front of the whole city in a couple days, huh?"

"The whole city? I'll be lucky if ten people show up."

"Stop changing the subject," Qrow growled. "You need to keep your emotions in check if you want to win, got it?" Yang's face darkened even more.

"Well gosh Qrow, I'm sorry I'm a fucking human being!" she yelled, tossing her arms in the air angrily. Qrow huffed and rubbed his face with one hand.

"Control yourself," he said flatly. He brushed past her and left the office, not returning until hours later.

Now, he was sitting perfectly still, muttering quietly to himself as he watched the debate with full focus. Mercury was still droning on about why Ozpin's initiative was terrible, but Qrow was entirely fixated on Yang, willing her to continue to maintain decorum.

"-and that's why an education-only campaign will be a more efficient and cost-effective use of Vale taxpayer dollars. Thank you." Mercury finished and enjoyed his modest applause.

"We will now move to the debate and discussion portion of this question. Councilwoman Xiao Long, you can start us off," Lavender announced.

"Great," Yang said, her expression a placid smile that Blake saw right through to the underlying snarl. "Mr. Black's idea of health reform is something that can't accurately be called 'reform' in the slightest," she began. "Instead of modifying or improving existing programs, he wants to gut mental healthcare at a time when it's more vital than ever that we-"

"Not true," Mercury interrupted, his irksome half-smile firmly in place. "I'm not 'gutting' anything Miss Xiao Long."

"Councilwoman," Yang muttered under her breath.

"In fact," he continued, ignoring her comment. "I'm improving mental health in Vale by cutting this unhelpful program from the budget. That means that we will be able to pass a Vale-wide tax cut, keeping more money in the pockets of the hardworking middle class." His smile looked to Blake like the bared teeth of some apex predator.

Yang took a deep breath and looked him directly in the eyes, her expression more serious than Blake had even seen. "You dodged the question there, Mr. Black," she stated simply. "The City of Vale property tax rate is 0.63 percent. Cutting this program will cut it by less than 0.02 percent. That's right, I crunched the numbers for you, Mr. Businessman. And you didn't mention that the tax cut will come from laying off the government workers currently employed at the mental health service locations. Now explain to the people of Vale why a 0.02 percent tax cut is worth sacrificing jobs and their mental health?"

"Too aggressive," Qrow hissed, loud enough for Blake to hear from two seats down. But in spite of his comment, the crowd erupted into applause after Yang finished. She grinned and raised her hands.

"Looks like they're curious too," she said. "Here's some more numbers for you, Mr. Black. One in five adults have a mental health condition, but more than half don't receive treatment. And those numbers are even higher for young people, with 75% not receiving treatment. So maybe-"

"I get it, Yang," Mercury interrupted again. Yang's face turned slightly red at the use of her first name. Blake felt her own blood boil at the disrespectful action.

"Look, I'm not saying mental health isn't an issue. In fact, I agree with what you've said," he said. Yang eyed him suspiciously. "Here's where I have a problem. It's not on the people of Vale to pay for mental health treatment for others, especially freeloaders who would take advantage of the system and leech off of the government. Health insurance will cover private services for most citizens of Vale. If people aren't receiving treatment, I believe that my education campaign will encourage those who feel alone and abandoned to seek out the help they need."

The crowd clapped relatively loudly for that one. One man yelled "hell yeah I'm not payin' for leeches!" Blake frowned and went back to fiddling with the bottom of her shirt.

"Ten percent of Vale's citizens are uninsured, what about them?" Yang questioned as soon as the crowd quieted. "Education is helpful, but people need access to psychiatrists and counselors. And if they don't have insurance, then-"

"Those who are uninsured are most likely to leech off of government services, my dear," Mercury explained in perhaps the most condescending tone Blake had ever heard. Use of "my dear" made her want to jump on the stage and knock his teeth in, and Yang's visible fuming made it clear that the feeling was mutual. Luckily the crowd was on their side, and a collective grumble followed his comment.

Yang closed her eyes for a second, then opened them. Blake audibly exhaled as she took in her expression. It was the same fiery look she had seen so many times before. Mercury was about to get demolished.

"So let them," Yang began. "It's doubtful that people will 'leech' off this system, as you claimed with absolutely zero evidence or reasoning, but even if a few people do - who cares? To me, supporting the people of Vale comes first. There are more important things than the bottom line, Mr. Black. But if you insist on dealing with money and not people, let's not forget that expanding to more locations will create jobs. And not just specialized medical jobs, but jobs for receptionists, janitors, working class jobs for the middle class. There's no problem with this program, Mr. Black. The problem is inaction. The problem is you."

Yang stood back and spun the pen a couple times as she enjoyed the loudest applause yet. Blake locked eyes with her and smiled broadly. Yang looked, well, radiant. Her eyes and hair, now a similar hue, both seemed to be glowing with excitement. Yang was excited for the future, genuinely thrilled with the idea that she could make a positive difference for the city that she loved. Blake felt something familiar fluttering in her chest.

The rest of the debate went smoothly for Yang, who had succeeded in getting the majority of the crowd on her side. Blake thoroughly enjoyed watching her answer the questions clearly and confidently, while Mercury's frustration mounted. The only tense moment came when Beacon Park was brought up again late in the debate.

"Please Miss Xiao Long, stop lying and just admit that absolutely nothing has come of your 'negotiations' with Weiss Schnee," Mercury said haughtily.

"Hmm, you just said not to lie though?" Yang replied with more than a little cheek. The crowd laughed and she smiled for a second too before resuming her seriousness. "I can assure you all that Miss Schnee and I are working closely to ensure that Beacon Park can stay for future generations, and that the Schnee Factory is able to become a center for growth and innovation at the same time."

Mercury scoffed but Yang pointedly ignored him.

"It's a tough process, but by working together I'm sure we'll be able to find a solution that works for everyone," she finished.

Mercury opened his mouth to argue, but he was thankfully cut off by Lisa Lavender, who announced that it was time to move onto closing statements.

Blake smiled from her spot in the audience as Yang launched into her practiced closing speech, with a few modifications to account for the night's discussion. This was definitely a win for the Xiao Long campaign, and a quick glance at Emerald and Cinder's matching scowls confirmed that. Blake leaned back and watched Yang finish up, her small smile growing into a wide grin rivaling Yang's trademark display.

The crowd applauded at Yang's triumphant finish, and Blake joined in enthusiastically. Even Qrow seemed satisfied, if not actually pleased, with Yang's showing.

Once Lisa Lavender had officially ended the night's debate, Blake followed Ruby and Qrow up to the stage to congratulate Yang in person. She was amicably shaking hands with Mercury, who somehow had his smirk back in place despite Yang's strong performance.

"YAAAAANG! That was AMAZING!" Ruby gushed earnestly, latching onto her sister as though she hadn't seen her in years. Yang laughed and flashed a grin.

"Thanks Rubles," she said, ruffling her hair comfortably.

"Not bad," Qrow grumbled. But a half smile crept up onto his face in spite of his efforts to keep it contained. It was probably the happiest Blake had ever seen the man. Yang just grinned wider and punched his arm - too lightly to hurt. She glanced past him at Blake expectantly.

And Blake suddenly realized that she didn't have anything planned to say. Yang had been amazing, but a simple "congrats" didn't come close to cutting it, obviously. Shit. She was a journalist for godssake, and she couldn't think of a single word to say, instead opting to stand silently with her lips slightly parted. How could she possibly express what she had felt watching Yang debate her ass off and win over an entire hall full of Vale citizenry?

"Thanks for this." Yang spoke before Blake could get her shit anywhere near together. She held out the pen to Blake.

"No, you keep it," Blake responded, somewhat impressed with her ability to speak normally in spite of the internal crisis she had been having only a few seconds prior. "There's still one more debate after all." Yang nodded and slid the pen into her pants pocket with a soft smile.

She opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off by a smooth voice to their left.

"Good work up there, Councilwoman. Seemed like a fun debate." Cinder Fall had materialized seemingly from nowhere. Yang jumped a little and turned 90 degrees to face her. Blake stayed where she was, tilting her head just enough to aim a glare at the other woman.

"Ah, yes of course! It's always great to talk policy," Yang responded nervously. Cinder smirked at her. Did the entire Mercury Black campaign practice their smirks together or something? Blake fought the urge to roll her eyes at Cinder's overconfident expression - she had clearly already recovered from the debate outcome. Then she leaned closer to Yang, who froze immediately in place.

Blake felt blood rushing past her ears as Cinder-fucking-Fall pulled Yang into a half-hug, half-shoulder bump embrace. Yang's face turned a deep shade of red, nearly matching the dress shirt she had on under her blazer. As Cinder pulled back, she lingered near Yang's ear to whisper something before breezing away without so much as a glance at Blake. Yang ran a hand through her hair and let out a breath.

"Uhh, what the hell was that?" she whispered to Blake, stepping closer to her. It was almost as though she felt some security being near Blake, which would have been cute ordinarily, but Blake was too busy fuming to fully notice.

"What did she say to you?" she forced out through clenched teeth.

"Just 'enjoy your evening'...but it felt kinda like a threat," Yang said. She shivered in spite of the lights and her layered clothing, inching even closer to Blake.

"God, I hate her," Blake growled. And before she had the sense to stop herself, she was wrapping a protective arm around Yang's back.

"Heeey guys, Pyrrha's having a little get-together at her place to celebrate, do you - oh, what happened?" Ruby skidded to a stop in front of them, Qrow trailing her by a few steps. Blake hadn't even noticed them leave, she had been so focused on Yang.

"Nothing," Yang said a little too quickly. She slid away from Blake, but not before Qrow had time to look at them both and fix Blake with a piercing glare. Ruby eyed them too, clearly suspicious, but mercifully decided to drop it.

"Okaaaay, well are you guys coming to Pyrrha's or not? Qrow's bailing because he's old and tired."

"Hey, watch it." Qrow pushed his hair back dramatically. "Old? No. Tired? Always." He smiled fondly down at her. "But nah, you kids deserve a chance to relax for a night without your uncle breathing down your necks."

Yang and Ruby looked up at him with matching grins.

"Thanks Qrow," Yang said sincerely. He patted her on the head, flicked Ruby's forehead, and gave Blake a customary head nod before taking his leave.

Yang and Ruby moved quickly in his absence, dragging Blake along as they gathered up their things and barreled to the parking lot to head over to Pyrrha's. Yang hopped into Blake's passenger seat the second she unlocked it.

"I don't recall inviting you to sit there?" Blake teased, taking her own seat.

"Oh really? So you don't need directions then? Okay, guess I'll go with Ruby then." Yang made a big show of taking off her seatbelt and reaching for the door handle.

"Oh, shut up," Blake said, locking the door before she could grab it. Yang stared at her with wide eyes.

"You've trapped me inside? It's a kidnapping then!" She clawed frantically at the window as Ruby pulled past them. Her sister merely rolled her eyes and continued to drive. "Forsaken," Yang gasped. "By my own blood."

"You're certainly a kid," Blake mumbled. She turned the car on as Yang refastened her seatbelt. "How are you so poised and serious onstage but so...like THIS, the rest of the time?"

Yang scoffed. "No idea what you mean, Blakey. Turn left outta here by the way. I'm ALWAYS poised."

Blake rolled her eyes. They were silent for several minutes while Yang messed with the radio and gave Blake occasional directions.

"Hey Yang?"

"Yeah?"

Blake paused. She knew what she wanted to ask. She wanted to know what Yang had been trying to do at the gala, why she hadn't mentioned it since then, what exactly was going on in that stupid blonde head of hers. She wanted to confirm that what Jaune had said was true, that Yang really was "crazy about her" or whatever. Blake almost huffed aloud at the thought. Even if Yang was into girls, it seemed more likely that Jaune had misread things than that she had a genuine...interest.

"...Blake?"

Shit, she had been silent for way too long.

"Um, who else do you think will be at Pyrrha's party?" Blake could've kicked herself.

"Oh." It seemed insane, but was it possible that she was hearing a note of disappointment in Yang's voice?

"Just the usual suspects, y'know. Us three, maybe Penny, Jaune obviously, Nora and Ren if they're not too busy."

Blake nodded along as though this was the most riveting information Yang could have shared, trying to disguise her internal turmoil. There was no point in saying anything, right? Yang was clearly content to pretend that nothing was going on. So why should she dredge things up? Resolved to keep herself in check after her near slip-up, Blake tightened her grip on the steering wheel and remained silent throughout the rest of the journey.

They pulled up beside Pyrrha's apartment building 10 minutes later, Yang quietly guiding Blake down a side street to the free parking area. She found a spot without incident - a bit of a miracle in this part of Vale - and they silently exited the car and made their way to the building. Blake reached for the door, but Yang stopped her with a gentle touch on her forearm that sent a chill through her entire body.

"What?" Blake asked, her tone and expression completely neutral.

"Nothing, it's just...are you okay? You seem a little, uhh, off." Yang ran a hand through her hair three times in succession.

"Fine." Her answer sounded terse, even to her. Blake sighed. "I'm tired, that's all."

"O-oh, okay," Yang responded, her expression brightening slightly. "I was worried you were mad or something. But hey, if you're tired, you don't have to stay. This isn't exactly in your job description." She gave her a trademark grin and wink combo. But for once even the classic Xiao Long charm couldn't cheer Blake up.

"No, it's alright. And why would I be mad?" She raised an eyebrow. Maybe Yang wanted to talk. Maybe she finally wanted to move out of this weird limbo of almost-kissing, casually-touching, highschool-crush garbage. Blake pulled herself back forcefully from that line of thought, reminding herself that Yang's feelings were a totally mystery. It was looking pretty likely that all of this drama was only in Blake's own head.

"I dunno, just a feeling I got." Great, so a hard no on escaping the limbo. Blake sighed inaudibly through her nose.

 **AN: Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it! And to everyone else, hope you're enjoying all the stuff on sale :3 This chapter long af (I had to split it up lol) which means the next one will be coming your way soon! Thanks for reading you guys!**


	13. Chapter 13

Blake and Yang headed into the building and clambered up two flights of stairs to Pyrrha's apartment. Well, Pyrrha and Jaune's really, since he was over there so often he was practically a tenant himself.

Yang knocked loudly once, but barged in before anyone came to the door. Even though Blake was still busy overthinking every interaction she had ever had with Yang, she smiled a little at the action.

"What's even the point of knocking if you do that?" She asked with a gentle chuckle. Yang grinned at her, relieved that Blake was talking again.

"Gives 'em time to stop having sex or whatever. I don't wanna walk in on that."

Blake rolled her eyes. "You're gross."

"Hey, I said I DIDN'T want to see it!" Yang protested, walking further into the apartment. But Pyrrha and Jaune were simply sitting on the couch, leaving plenty of room for Jesus.

"Didn't want to see what?" Ruby asked. She had beat them there and was settled onto the floor, drink in hand.

"These two banging." Yang said plainly, gesturing at the couple in question.

"Yang!" Blake hissed, whacking her arm. Jaune turned red but Pyrrha just laughed and offered them a drink. They both accepted graciously. It had been a long night already, and Blake could still feel some lingering tension between herself and Yang. The interaction with Cinder was still fresh in her mind, and certainly wasn't helping matters. Nothing like some vodka to blur some of her unwanted thoughts into the background, right?

Thirty minutes later, the "party" was in full swing. Ren was beating Nora, Ruby, and Jaune quite handily at Mario Kart. Pyrrha was busy in the kitchen making cookies. Even though everyone had insisted that she didn't have to, Ruby had been practically drooling at the suggestion, and Pyrrha was way too nice to refuse the puppy eyes. Blake sat comfortably on the edge of the couch, sipping on her second drink. Yang plopped down next to her, fresh from her trip to the kitchen to see if Pyrrha needed any help.

"How's it going in there?" Blake asked.

"Cookies will be done in ten minutes," Yang replied with a smile.

"Yesssss," Ruby said, glancing towards the kitchen hungrily. Her cart swerved to the right and into the abyss.

"NOOOO I was in second place!" she cried.

"Ya snooze ya lose!" Nora yelled, zipping past her on the track.

"It's wise to remain focused on the game," Ren said calmly. He was about half a lap ahead of everyone else.

Blake laughed lightly and took another sip. Since Nora and Ruby were on the floor, there was plenty of room on the couch, but Yang was still sitting right next to her. Alcohol always made Blake more touchy-feely than usual, and she found herself leaning into Yang's warm body. Her eyes drifted shut.

"I'll take those," Yang said, leaning forward abruptly. Blake slipped and righted herself somewhat grumpily. Yang hadn't noticed, she was too busy confiscating Jaune and Ruby's cups.

"HEY!" Jaune said.

"No need to alco-holler!" Yang wheezed at her pun and received a chorus of groans and eye rolls. "You can have it back in a hour, Vomit Boy," she finished smugly.

Nora laughed loudly at the use of the nickname and punched Jaune's bicep. He glared at them both and rubbed his arm.

"Can I have mine back? I'm sober!" Ruby tried to snatch her cup, but Yang dodged her clumsy attempt easily.

"This is your third so, no. Plus you weigh liiiike 90 pounds."

Ruby grumbled incoherently, and Blake had to stifle a laugh at the face she was making. Yang leaned back triumphantly, snuggling against Blake. Or maybe the snuggling was only in Blake's head, which had started to get fuzzy from the drinks. She discreetly glanced up at Yang's smiling face. Her nurturing side was coming out in full force tonight, and Blake couldn't ignore the warmth she felt observing how she took care of everyone.

A hesitant knock at the door stopped any further arguments Ruby may have made. She skyrocketed to her feet the second she heard the knock, prompting everyone to look at her.

"I'll get it! I hope it's okay but I, um, invited Weiss to hang out with us." The way she said it made it sound more like a question than an announcement. Pyrrha, walking in from the kitchen with a plateful of fresh cookies, laughed lightly.

"Of course that's fine, Ruby," she said encouragingly. Ruby smiled, grabbed a cookie, and rushed to get the door.

"Thanks Pyrrha!"

Ren paused the game so they could all crane their necks to witness the entrance of Vale's one and only Ice Queen. Ruby pulled the door back so fast it hit the wall.

"Hi Weiss!" she chirped.

"Hello Ruby." Weiss looked uncomfortable in the doorway, cautiously eyeing the inside of the apartment and the cluster of people inside it. Her eyes narrowed at Ruby. "Are you eating? Don't talk with your mouth full." And with that stern admonishment, she brushed past her and entered the apartment.

"Hey Weiss," Yang greeted with a smile.

"Yang," she said, waving at her halfheartedly.

"Ice Queen," Blake acknowledged, barely bothering to hide her glower.

"You." Weiss was also less than thrilled with the arrangement.

"And I don't think you've met the rest," Ruby cut in, materializing behind Weiss and steering her fully into the living room. "Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, and Juan. This is Weiss!" Jaune glared at her and opened his mouth to speak, but Pyrrha elbowed him to keep quiet.

"A pleasure to meet you," she said graciously.

"Likewise," Weiss said with a smile. She actually seemed happy to meet someone for once in her life. "So Juan, where are you from?" Jaune looked ready to die, but Ruby spoke before he had a chance.

"OKAY enough talk, time to RACE." Ruby tossed a controller at Weiss, who yelped and swatted it to the ground. Yang and Ruby erupted into laughter. Weiss gave them both death glares before gingerly picking up the controller and perching on the couch.

Ruby stuffed another cookie into her mouth. "Okay, Yang and Blake can even out the racers."

Yang deftly snagged a few cookies before Ruby demolished the entire plate, and generously passed one to Blake. She accepted the baked good but shook her head at the game. "No thanks, I'm not great at Mario Kart."

But Yang stuck a controller in her hands anyway.

"It's okay, I suck too. I'm only decent at fighting games and RPGs," she said. That stupid grin, the one Blake could never say 'no' to, was firmly in place. She sighed and selected Dry Bones as her character.

"Nice choice, but I'll knock you off the track," Yang said, bumping Blake with her shoulder. She had picked Donkey Kong.

"Which one should I pick?" Weiss asked. "I've never played this game before..."

"SERIOUSLY? You've never played Mario Kart?" Nora pretended to faint. Weiss got an uncomfortable look again, and Ruby swooped in to help.

"Here, you can be Peach," she said gently, pointing out the character. She had already selected Toad for herself.

"Peach is a good one," Pyrrha added.

"Yeah, a princess is perfect for you." Yang was grinning wolfishly. Weiss huffed and swatted at her, but she danced out of the way, leaning further against Blake in the process.

Finally, they were ready to start. Yang deviously picked Rainbow Road as the track before any of them could protest. Ruby and Blake groaned in unison while Jaune and Nora cackled. Weiss looked at them all in confusion, but Ren answered before she could ask the question.

"It's the hardest track in the game," he explained calmly. "A bit of a cruel trick to play on an amateur."

Yang laughed but didn't bother to defend herself. "Sorry Ice Queen, this is my only chance to not come in last place for once!"

Her trick backfired almost immediately as she missed the first turn and plummeted into the depths of space, cursing loudly. Ruby chuckled smugly from her position in first place.

"Why are there no rails?" Weiss yelped as she fell in the same spot as Yang.

"It's a test of skill. Pure, unadulterated - SHIT!" Yang fell into space for the second time, dropping to last place.

"Pure, unadulterated, what?" Blake asked with a snicker. Yang grumbled something and half-heartedly swatted at her controller.

The race ended with Blake in second place, Ruby in fourth, Weiss is tenth, and Yang in eleventh.

"It's all rigged!" Yang complained, throwing her hands in the air. "And I thought YOU said that you were bad at this game?" She gestured at Blake wildly. Blake smirked and shrugged, passing her controller to Nora.

"You're just mad that I got ahead of you right at the end," Weiss said smugly.

"Damn Ice Queen, that's cold. Pun intended." Yang smiled broadly at her joke. Weiss rolled her eyes and downed her drink.

"Whoa, hey! Slow down, Weiss," Ruby said, reaching over to stop her from pouring another one. Weiss looked surprised for a second, but her expression quickly changed into one of vague annoyance.

"I got here from a dinner with my father, I could use a drink," she explained, but withdrew her hand from the vodka bottle. Yang winced and nodded sympathetically while Ruby looked at the floor intently. "And unfortunately I couldn't watch the debate because he refused to reschedule." She paused to silently curse him for a moment. "Although I heard you did quite well?" Weiss raised an eyebrow and Yang blushed slightly. Blake found herself tensing up at the interaction, though she couldn't explain why.

"She was AWESOME!" Nora exclaimed, bouncing slightly in her seat. "Really kicked that Mercury asshole's...well, ass!" They all laughed at that and congratulated Yang once again, who was still blushing from the attention.

They switched in new Mario Kart players and Blake settled back into her spot next to Yang. The alcohol was starting to make her more drowsy now, and maybe it was that plus the impaired judgement that made her rest her head on Yang's shoulder. Yang hesitated, then placed a gentle hand on Blake's thigh.

"It's time for a DANCE PARTY! Yang, get over here!" Apparently Nora had decided this was the perfect time to blast music and probably get Pyrrha evicted. Yang immediately leapt up to join in, and Blake felt the urge to scream. The urge only increased in fervor when Weiss Schnee decided to take Yang's spot on the couch.

Blake decided to be civil. "So, you don't like to dance either?" she asked amicably.

"Just what the hell was that, Belladonna?" Blake blinked once.

"Um." she said.

"You have to make a move on her, Blake, this..." Weiss stopped to select the proper word. "Ridiculous!" Blake decided not to point out that she had left out the word "is."

"You're drunk," Blake said. Her face felt very hot.

"Wow, very perceptive of you!" Weiss nearly shouted over the loud music, which Nora and Jaune were now singing along to.

"Um." Blake said again.

"Look, you're obviously in love with her." Blake's face was radiating so much heat she was sure it should be singeing Weiss. At the moment, she wished it would, if only to get her to back away.

"And she's OBVIOUSLY in love with you," Weiss continued. Blake chose that opportunity to choke on her own saliva. Weiss stared at her blankly for a second, then clumsily patted her back until she recovered somewhat.

"No, she's not," Blake choked out once she could talk again. Weiss made a noise.

"Aren't you supposed to be perceptive?"

"Aren't you supposed to be well-behaved?" Blake muttered, struggling to get her blush under control. Weiss made another noise and somehow managed to stomp her foot while seated.

"Hey, I'm helping! I know you hate me, but-"

"I don't hate you."

Weiss scoffed and waved a hand haphazardly.

"Whatcha guys talking about?" Ruby plopped down on the couch next to Weiss.

"Why don't you take your own advice?" Blake said to Weiss, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"Maybe I will," Weiss said with narrowed eyes. Ruby looked between the two of them, hopelessly confused. Weiss whirled around to face her and grabbed onto both of Ruby's shoulders, though some of it was just to stabilize herself from the sudden turn.

"Weiss?" Ruby squeaked, blood rushing to her head from their extremely close proximity. "W-What are you-"

"Stop talking," Weiss commanded. Ruby immediately shut her mouth, which Weiss then kissed softly, her movements becoming surprisingly gentle as she moved her hands down Ruby's back.

Blake's eyes widened. Yang skidded to a stop on the dance floor, her mouth dropping open.

"Oh shit!" Jaune said.

"Ooh, get it Weiss!" Nora yelled over the music, looking positively thrilled by the development.

The party proceeded somewhat awkwardly from there. Ruby dragged Weiss, who by now was blushing profusely, into the kitchen to "talk." Yang looked like she wanted to follow them, by Pyrrha pulled her back with a stern this-is-not-the-time-to-meddle look on her face.

"They're so cute!" Jaune said, his eyes shining with happiness. Nora agreed enthusiastically and even Ren smiled and nodded. Blake remembered what Jaune said about Ruby and Yang being like his sisters. He certainly looked like a proud big brother at the moment, and she found herself smiling along with the rest of them in spite of her reservations towards Weiss. She snuck a glance towards the kitchen. They were mostly out of view, but she could make out the side of the back of Ruby's head. A small, pale hand came up to weave into Ruby's hair, and pulled her out of Blake's sight.

Blake looked away and locked eyes with Yang, who had also been watching intently. By now there was enough alcohol in her that Blake didn't shy away. She stared directly at Yang, taking in her wide eyes, her cute nose with tiny freckles dusted around it, her unruly mane of hair, which Blake wanted nothing more than to run her hands through. Yang turned an attractive shade of pink under Blake's scrutiny, and she turned away under the guise of getting another cookie.

It was right about then that Nora suggested they play a game of strip poker. Yang's face only got pinker, and she busied herself looking literally anywhere but at Blake. Luckily for her, Ren was able to talk Nora down to regular poker - but of course with a drinking component.

Ruby and Weiss returned from the kitchen just as Nora was about to start dealing. Ruby's hair was messy, and Weiss' face was an interesting shade of red, but they both looked decidedly pleased, and their fingers were tightly interlocked.

"Nice work locking that down," Yang teased at Ruby, having recovered nicely from her earlier shock. "And _you_." Weiss jolted under her intense gaze. "Be careful with my sister, okay?" Weiss nodded mutely and Yang gave her one of her wide grins.

"Sooooo can we start now?" Nora was way too excited about gambling.

Ren nodded fondly at her and began dealing.

"Um, what are the hands again?" Blake whispered to Yang.

"Mm, not well versed in gambling, are we? Probably not a bad thing. I'll pull a list up on my phone." Yang smiled and pushed her hair back. "And in the meantime you can work on your pokerface, Blakey," she continued. Blake smiled at the familiar nickname.

"Sure, Yang." She rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Here's mine," Yang said, her smile turning smug.

"Well, that's not very-" Blake stopped as Yang's pointer finger gently poked her cheek.

Yang burst out laughing. "Get it? It's a poke-her-face!"

"For fuck's sake Yang."

"Possibly your shittiest joke ever!" Ruby chimed in from her spot on Blake's other side.

"Hey, LANGUAGE," Yang reprimanded her sternly.

"Yang, I'm 24..."

"Are you guys gonna look at your cards or nah?" Nora interrupted.

"Oh, sorry," Yang replied, still laughing a little. "I'm in."

Blake glanced at her cards, then at the list of hands, then nodded her participation. Ruby and Weiss joined in too, while Ren and Pyrrha folded immediately. Blake figured that made sense with their more cautious personalities.

Ren flipped another card and they all craned in to see.

"Ooh, five of spades, lookin' good for me," Yang boasted and set her cards down, satisfied.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Okay, so Yang has nothing."

"Mm, we'll see about that," Yang said.

Ruby ended up folding that round anyway, and Jaune tossed his cards away too, muttering about Yang cheating again. Weiss looked about as confused about how to play as Blake was, and seemed a bit too drunk to learn effectively.

"Um, are these good?" she asked in a small voice, showing her cards to Ruby.

"Hey, that's illegal! No help allowed from the audience!" Yang yelled, pointing an accusatory finger.

"Okay, fine," Weiss said, frowning at her and scooting closer to Ruby. "I'm in."

Ren flipped the final card and Yang just about screeched in happiness. Blake rolled her eyes.

"Stop faking," she said, upping the bet.

"Ooh, getting feisty I see," Yang said with a sideways sort of grin. She took the bet, and Weiss and Nora followed suit.

"Alright, show your cards." Ren's voice was calm as ever.

Nora went first. "I got nothiiiing!" she sang, happily taking a long drink from her cup. Ren gave her a look somewhere between affection and exhaustion.

"These are mine." Everybody leaned in to look at Weiss' cards.

"Weiss..." Ruby started, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Holy shit," Jaune said quietly.

Weiss looked between them in confusion. "What is it? Ruby? Juan?"

"You, um, also have nothing," Pyrrha explained gently. "I'm sorry." She delivered the news with so much remorse that it felt like she had just brutally murdered Weiss' firstborn child.

"What?!" Weiss exclaimed. "No, I have 4, 5, and 6 in a row!"

"Yeah, that's nothing," Yang explained, halfheartedly trying to stifle her laughter. "You seriously never played poker before?"

Weiss huffed and crossed her arms. "Father never allowed gambling," she muttered, then angrily finished off her drink before anyone could say anything.

"Well then, I'm feeling pretty good about my two pair." Yang grinned and flipped over her cards. Blake bit her lip and looked at her own cards before flipping them over.

"I have two fives, plus the one there..." she looked Yang directly in the eyes and smirked. "Three of a kind beats two pair, right?"

Yang sputtered and snatched Blake's cards up, holding them to the light as if that would prove them to be fake. Everyone laughed at her expense and Ruby shoved a drink at her.

"Losing at Mario Kart and now at poker?" Blake teased, raising an eyebrow. "Good thing you did so well at the debate, or I'd be worried about your ego."

Everyone turned to look at her, and Yang's eyes seemed to double in size.

"Ooh, drunk Blake is SAVAGE!" Nora yelled triumphantly. She was clearly thoroughly pleased by the night's events.

"Huh? I'm not drunk," Blake objected. Based on the looks she received in return, it was an ineffectual protest.

"Suuuure," Yang said. Blake wanted to kiss the stupid smile off of her face. Wait, kiss?

"Now can someone please deal? I've got to avenge myself," Yang continued before Blake could process the thought that had just invaded her mind.

As it turned out, Yang was actually really good at poker. If Blake hadn't been drunk before, she certainly was now after losing several hands to the cocky, purple-haired gambler sitting next to her.

Yang looked perfectly content to sit there winning hands all night, but it was Ren who eventually decided to call it. He managed to drag Nora - who was somehow still as full of energy as always - out the door after a round of goodbyes. Weiss stood up to leave as well, but almost immediately stumbled and crashed into Ruby.

"H-hey! I can walk by myself," she complained, but made no move away from the woman supporting her. Ruby gave Pyrrha a look, and some unspoken communication occurred between them.

"You two can crash on the couch," Pyrrha said before Ruby made any verbal request.

"Thanks Pyrrha!" Ruby smiled brightly and began the arduous task of steering Weiss towards the living room. Jaune scurried off to fetch them some blankets.

"Do either of you two need a ride?" Pyrrha asked, turning to address Blake and Yang. Blake blinked once and thought about how to address the question. She was taken aback by the sheer _niceness_ of it, as if having her guests take a cab was something that never even crossed Pyrrha's mind.

"Nah, I can drive Blake," Yang said. "I only had two drinks all night." Blake blinked again. She hadn't really been paying attention, but it was true that Yang had kept herself sober over the course of the evening. It surprised her a little, although she probably should've been used to Yang surprising her by now.

"If you're sure," Pyrrha replied. "Drive safe, and text me when you get back."

"Of course." Another one of her grins spread over Yang's face. "You're an angel, Pyrrha."

"That's a bit of a stretch, but thanks Yang," Pyrrha said, blushing slightly.

"Alright, you good to go kitty-cat?" It took Blake a moment before she realized Yang was referring to her.

"...kitty-cat?"

"Yeah, cause you're so cat-like!" Yang patted Blake's head, generating a tsk of annoyance.

"Seriously, Yang? I'm not a cat..." Blake grumbled, but she wasn't really angry, and Yang knew it.

"Mm, okay." Yang was still grinning. "Lemme check on Ruby real quick and we can go." She moved quietly into the living room, Blake and Pyrrha trailing behind her. Ruby seemed to be asleep already, and Weiss had curled herself up against Ruby's body, firmly clinging onto her shirt. Her eyes were closed, and white eyelashes fluttered slightly as she slept.

Yang whisper-shrieked at the sight of them. "Oh my GOD," she said in a hushed tone, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Blake smiled, half from the undeniably adorable sight, and half from watching Yang fawn over it. Pyrrha wisely tugged Yang away before her movements woke anyone up.

A minute later, Blake was clumsily pulling on her jacket while Yang held the door for her.

"Thanks for hosting!" Yang said over her shoulder to Pyrrha.

Blake nodded her thanks as well, having finally won the struggle with her left sleeve. "It was a lot of fun," she added, vaguely surprised at the genuine smile that came onto her face without her even having to try.

"Anytime," Pyrrha responded. "Goodnight Yang, Blake!"

They waved as they started to make their way down the hallway.

"I'm thinking we avoid the stairs given your, uh, inebriation," Yang explained.

"Nice SAT word Xiao Long, but I'm not-" Blake's right shoulder smacked directly into the wall next to the elevator. "Who put that there?" she muttered, rubbing her shoulder.

Yang was just about shaking from the force of her stifled laughter. "Good thing I'm driving, huh?" she said, then gently guided Blake into the elevator without any further wall-smackings. They reached Blake's car without incident, and the second she took her place in the passenger seat, Blake felt a cloud of drowsiness drift over her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the headrest.

"Hey, don't pass out in here!" Yang said. She started the car and kicked up the heating. "Damn, it's cold. Cold as _Weiss_ , some might say."

"Literally only you would say that."

"Very true. My wit is a gift and a curse," Yang sighed like a wearied soldier.

Blake decided not to dignify that with a response, instead closing her eyes again. She was so tired, she could feel herself drifting off despite her best efforts. Between Yang's soft humming next to her and the movement of the car, it was pretty easy for her to approach sleep...and for once her thoughts were still. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was Yang's presence so close by, or maybe it was both, but Blake felt more at peace than she had been for months, even years.

"Blake?" She felt a light touch on her shoulder. Blake opened her eyes and blinked blearily.

"Hm? What is it?"

"Uh, we're at your place. You know, where you live?"

"Mm."

"You'll have to leave the car to go inside," Yang explained patiently.

"Mm."

"Well then." Yang opened her own door and exited the car. A moment later she appeared on the other side and threw open Blake's door. Cold air swirled in immediately and Blake glared at the offender through her still half-closed eyes.

Yang moved swiftly, reaching a hand over to unbuckle Blake's seatbelt before sliding an arm around her back and the other beneath her knees. Blake jolted at the same time that Yang began lifting her.

"Ah, fuck!" Yang jumped back and slammed her head on the frame of the car, letting go of Blake instantly.

"Yang...what..." The cold air was slowly bringing Blake back to the real world.

"I was trying to be NICE and carry you inside! Then YOU started flailing! Ow..." She rubbed the back of her head.

"Trying to...Yang, I don't need to be carried," Blake said. To prove her point, she hauled herself out of the car and stood unsteadily on the curb.

"Sure thing," Yang said gently. Blake put a hand on Yang's arm - not that she needed it or anything, but just in case - as they made their way to her door.

"You're good, right?" Yang asked when they made it to Blake's apartment. "Drink some water then go to sleep, k?"

Blake nodded obediently. Then she realized something. "Yang?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"How are you going to get home?"

Yang shrugged. "I'll call a cab or something. Don't worry about it."

Blake stared at her for a solid ten seconds, which is a pretty long time to stare at someone in silence. Yang raised an eyebrow. Blake later blamed what she said next almost exclusively on that stupid eyebrow and the stupidly cute expression underneath it.

"Why don't you stay here?"

Yang looked like her brain had short circuited. And then gotten zapped by lightning.

"It'll be easier, right? And then I can drive you home in the morning so you don't have to pay for a cab. Plus it's getting really late, so it's better if you stay put." Blake had a feeling she was rambling. Luckily Yang bailed her out before she could get too out of control.

"I...guess I could. If you're sure it's not a pain?"

"Of course not! But, on the couch, of course."

"Of course!"

Blake ignored the fact that they had said "of course" three times in three sentences. Instead she focused on keeping her blush under control and on her fine motor skills, which were struggling mightily, as she unlocked the door and led Yang inside.

Yang stood awkwardly in the living room while Blake fetched a blanket and some pajamas for her. Blake winced when she passed the taped-up area on the wall that Yang had noticed last time. She was sure Yang had noticed it was still there, but she mercifully didn't say anything on the subject. Instead all she said was a quiet "thank you" while accepting the supplies.

They stood together for a second, and Blake got an unshakeable feeling that Yang had really wanted to say something else.

"I'm really glad we had this night," Yang said softly, aiming a smile at Blake that sent the latter's heart into a freefall. "I feel like stuff with us has been a little awkward recently." Her eyes darted away and her smile dropped off, like she had said something she wasn't supposed to.

Blake barked out a laugh and spoke before thinking. "Well, yeah Yang, things have been awkward since you tried to kiss me then pretended nothing happened for ummm -" she pretended to check a nonexistent watch "- two goddamn weeks." The words were harsh, but the alcohol had both loosened her tongue and calmed her down. She laughed again, but more genuinely. "Nice move, killer."

Yang's cheeks flushed. "Blake..." She looked like she had more to say, but the words weren't coming out.

"It's okay Yang, I get it," Blake continued. "You were messing around, right? It's really okay. But I am bi, and you're really-" Thankfully Blake still had the self-control left to stop herself from saying the last word. Yang's face was getting steadily redder as she spoke, and Blake would be lying if she said she didn't sort of enjoy making her flustered.

"That's not-" Yang's words got stuck again. Blake wanted to laugh at how this conversation was a perfect reversal of their typical exchanges, where Yang would do most of the talking. Of course she also wanted to cry, but that was besides the point.

"But no more kisses unless you mean it, okay?" Blake grabbed Yang's face between her hands and stared her directly in the eyes to drive the point home.

"I did. Mean it." Yang's voice was so hushed that Blake almost missed it. But she did hear it, and her eyes widened at the admission. "But, Blake, I-"

Blake cut her off with her lips. It wasn't a particularly nice kiss. Between Yang getting caught off guard and Blake being slightly...intoxicated, it ended up being more of a forceful lip and teeth smack. Yang jerked back almost immediately.

"Uhhh."

"Oh. Oh no." Blake took two steps back. "I'm sorry, I thought..." she trailed off. What exactly had she been thinking?

"No, it's my fault." Yang spoke quickly. "But you're drunk, and I..." she also trailed off.

Blake said nothing to fill the thick silence between them. Her face was burning and she felt a lump forming in her throat.

"I can't," Yang said finally.

The words cut into Blake's stomach like knives or claws or something similarly unpleasant.

"I thought you liked me," Blake said. Tears were prickling at the corners of her eyes and she hated herself for them.

"I do! But I can't." Yang was staring fixedly at the floor.

"Liar." Her voice was trembling now. She aggressively brushed the tears out of her eyes. Why the hell was she crying over a girl, like some stupid middle school kid? And why had she made Yang come into her house and THEN decide to pull this "confession" bullshit?

Blake spun on her heel, stumbling slightly in the process. She had to get out of this room.

"Blake, stop." Yang's voice sounded more strained than she had ever heard it. But Blake didn't stop. If anything, she moved faster, pulling herself into her bedroom and shutting and locking the door.

"Oh god," she whispered, sinking to the floor and putting her head in her hands. The alcohol was making the room spin, and the sting of rejection was still stabbing her, over and over. She cried quietly in the dark until she mustered the strength to drag herself to the bed. Curling up into a small ball under the covers, she attempted to dry her eyes somewhat impatiently. There was no reason for her to be _this_ upset. Yang didn't want to be with her. So what? It's not like Yang was that special.

But as soon as the thought entered her head, Blake knew it was wrong. In the span of a few months, Yang had become more special to her than anyone else, besides maybe her parents. And even though she had locked the door, some part of her - and a pretty large part, at that - wanted Yang to barge right in the way she did to Pyrrha's apartment, to hug her and kiss her and make her feel a little less awful. But the door stayed closed and locked, and Blake drifted off, her cheeks still wet.

If she had stayed up ten minutes longer, she might have heard the footsteps come near her door, pacing back and forth nervously. She might have heard the gentle knock, followed by a more insistent one, followed by a soft voice speaking from just outside.

"Blake? Are you awake? I'm so sorry, Blake. Please come out here and talk to me. Please. Please?"

But she didn't stay up, and the moment passed.

The next morning, Blake woke up with a headache and an empty living room. The blanket and pajamas were neatly folded and placed on one corner of the couch with a sticky note on top.

"Took the bus home. Hope you're not too hungover :P See you Monday!

\- Yang"

Blake stared at it for a long moment, then crumpled it up and threw it in the trash.

 **AN:** **God, these chapters keep getting longer and longer. Hopefully it was coherent, I did some alcohol-based "research" while writing some parts (to get in character, yeah?). And I apologize for the angst, but White Rose fluff offsets it, right? Anyway, thanks for reading as always!**

 **ALSO I'm super stoked that lillylux on tumblr made some AMAZING art based on this story! And it was unsolicited, can you believe it? Here's the link (replace the underscores with dots - sorry it kept linking incorrectly and I can't use technology for the life of me ahahah): lillylux_tumblr_com/post/169472829051/**


	14. Chapter 14

It was Tuesday. Slightly over 72 hours since she had stomped all over Blake's heart, then cowardly snuck away before giving her any proper explanation. Yang picked at her fingers in frustration. She was sitting alone in her office, the door open slightly. Blake's desk was conspicuously empty.

Yang had felt guilty the minute she had gotten on the bus Saturday morning, but by then it was too late. Blake ignored her texts and calls all weekend, and Monday hadn't been any better. When Yang tried to confront Blake about the weekend, she got a mumble about being busy and a cold shoulder. And Blake was doing her very best to avoid even being in the same room as Yang. Which was difficult considering they shared an office. Yang couldn't help but be a little impressed at Blake's determination, even if said determination was keeping them from ever speaking again. Whenever Yang was out for city council stuff or meetings with Qrow, Blake would seize the opportunity to scurry to her desk and do whatever needed to be done. Then, she would scurry back out and help Ruby or Pyrrha whenever Yang got back.

But today Yang had a foolproof plan: wait her out. Okay, maybe it wasn't totally "foolproof," but it was the best she could think of. She had cancelled or rescheduled all of her meetings for the day, and there was no way Blake could go 8 hours without having to come into the room, right?

Yang picked at her nails some more, not stopping until blood started beading on her fingers. She sighed impatiently. Blake would get mad if she saw her bloody nails. But then again, Blake wasn't around. Plus Yang was starting to feel like she deserved to bleed a little. She pushed the thought out of her head before it could get too far.

She really should be working on implementation of the recycling proposal, or the Schnee factory idea she had started on over the weekend, or the canvassing maps, or anything at all. Instead, she sat in silence, staring at the silver and black pen on her desk. Yang picked it up, but put it back down almost immediately. She should probably give it back to Blake soon. Right now it was just another reminder of the kindness that she knew she didn't deserve.

A knock on her doorframe startled Yang out of her tangled web of thoughts.

"Qrow, what's up?"

He let himself in and closed the door behind him before sighing heavily. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Yang asked. He sank into the chair opposite her desk, leaning his elbows on the table.

"Blake Belladonna."

Yang's heart did a stutter step at the name, and she leaned back in her chair away from him.

"Did she do something?"

"More like you're doing something," Qrow said. "Quit it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Yang crossed her arms over her chest.

"Jesus, it's a good thing you hate lying, because you're terrible at it." Qrow stood up and started pacing back and forth in front of the desk. Yang kept her arms crossed and her mouth shut.

"Look, I know you got yourself a little "crush" or whatever, but I hope you haven't forgotten that this is a _terrible_ time to get distracted by that crap."

"That's pretty funny coming from you," Yang stated, keeping her voice perfectly level.

Qrow sighed again and dropped back into the chair. "Hey, women are attractive, that's one thing we can agree on. There's an important difference between you and me though, you know what that is?"

"Is it that you're a straight dude?"

"Jesus, kid, can you cut back on the snark?" He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "The difference is that I didn't hire someone I found attractive and have 'em work in the same room as me. I keep personal and professional very, very far apart, got it?"

Yang frowned. "Whatever. Why are you interrogating me about this now, anyway?"

Qrow crossed his right leg, resting the ankle on his left knee. "You two were looking a bit...cozy after the debate. Figured I'd step in before you did something stupid."

Yang bit the inside of her lip. It was a little too late for that.

"Great, so now you're my babysitter?"

He didn't seem to appreciate that comment. "Yang."

"Well you don't have to worry about any of that." She spoke before he could start talking again. "I stopped it before it even started. So yeah. No worries." Her tone was flat and emotionless.

For a second, something close to sympathy flickered over Qrow's face. He scratched at the whiskers on his chin thoughtfully.

"It's for the best," he said finally. Yang suddenly wanted to punch him in the face, but she just grunted and stared at the wall behind him.

"Seriously, I know you're pissed right now, but trust me."

"So this has absolutely nothing to do with my sexuality?" Yang challenged.

Qrow leaned his head back in frustration. "I never said that," he muttered. "Are you deliberately being difficult?"

"Are you deliberately being an asshole?"

He _really_ didn't appreciate that one. Standing up and running a hand through his hair, he resumed his pacing.

"You really act like a kid sometimes, you know that?" He took a deep breath, and when he spoke again it was in a much gentler tone. "You're right though. But I'm sorry to say that it doesn't change things. Vale's making progress, but an openly gay mayor?" Qrow paused and his hand drifted over to his jacket pocket, where Yang knew he kept his flask.

"You just gotta wait before you go shocking everyone," he said eventually, lowering his hand.

"I've hidden it for 8 years..."

"Exactly, and it's gotten you this far. Come on Yang, I know how you feel about 'deceiving the public' or whatever, but this isn't lying, it's...leaving out a few things. Nobody's getting hurt." Qrow said it with such sincerity that Yang could hardly control her laugh.

"Really? Nobody?" She barked out another laugh. "What about me, Qrow? What about-" She couldn't say it. The name got stuck in her throat.

Qrow stopped pacing and regarded her. "I know you don't want to hear this, but if you were more careful-"

"CAREFUL?" Yang stood up abruptly and gripped the desk with both hands. "I haven't dated ANYONE in 8 years, do you not get that?"

"Did I make you do that?" Qrow's voice was regaining it's edge. "You asked me to help with this campaign last year, and since then I've done what I can to help you win. Because that's what YOU wanted. But hey, if you'd rather throw away your career for no valid reason, don't let me stop you!" He sarcastically raised his hands.

"You think you know everything." Yang loosened her grip on the desk and stared down at her hands. "Maybe...maybe it wouldn't ruin my career?"

"Not everything. But I know this one. I know Vale can be a homophobic shithole, and I would've figured that you'd know that by now too." He turned away from her to leave. Yang's hands clenched into fists. Part of her wanted to yell at him some more, or maybe throw something at the back of his head. But a bigger part of her knew that he was right. Despite her best efforts, Vale wasn't as nearly progressive as Yang would have liked.

Yang sighed and sat back down as Qrow opened the door.

"Oh, sorry.. I didn't realize anyone was in here." Yang's head perked up at the sound of the voice. Qrow was blocking the person from view, but she knew exactly who it was.

"I'm just leaving," Qrow said, brushing past her.

Yang audibly exhaled at the sight of Blake standing in the doorway. She was wearing a dress shirt and a purple skirt that, probably unintentionally, did an excellent job showing off her long legs. Her eyes widened when she saw Yang sitting there, and she promptly dropped the stack of papers she was holding.

Blake cursed softly and knelt down to gather them.

"Ah, let me help!" Yang said, leaping around the desk and slamming her toe against the side of it in the process. "SHIT!"

Blake's head snapped up and she hit Yang with another of those wide-eyed stares. Yang's entire body was burning with pain and embarrassment and...some other feeling that she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Are you okay?" Blake asked.

"Yep," Yang said through her gritted teeth. "Peachy." She limped over to where Blake was and gathered up some papers, valiantly forcing herself to look anywhere but at Blake's thighs, where the skirt had ridden up to a dangerous height.

"Thanks." Blake grabbed the messy stack and stood up. "Don't you have a meeting with Oobleck?" she asked as she rose.

Yang stood up too, brushing off her pants. "Nah, I rescheduled it."

"Clever," Blake mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. "Anyway, sorry to barge in. I only need a few files from here.." Blake walked over to her own desk and started rummaging in one of the cabinets next to it.

"You don't need to apologize. I mean, it's your office too." Yang laughed awkwardly. Blake forced a small smile and started rummaging faster.

Yang pressed her lips together. She had to think of something to say, and fast.

"So, how's your weather going?"

Blake stopped moving for a second and looked at her in utter confusion. "My what?"

"Uh, nothing." Yang wanted to scream. Why did she suddenly lose her ability to speak with any sort of coherence? While she was standing there sweating like an idiot, Blake finished retrieving her files and cautiously turned to go.

"Blake, wait!" Yang said it louder than she intended in her panic. "Can we talk?" Blake closed her eyes for a moment then turned back towards her.

"Sure," she said, forcing another smile. "What is it?"

Yang stepped closer. "I think you know.." She discreetly shut the door of the office. "I know you've been avoiding me, and I can't blame you for that. But I miss you." She eyed Blake hopefully.

"I'm sorry if you feel like I'm avoiding you," Blake said stiffly. "I clearly misread the situation the other night, and I made a mistake. I apologize for that as well. Now, can I leave?" She made a move for the door but Yang blocked her path, backing up against it.

"Blake, wait," she pleaded. "We need to talk this out."

"Talk what out? There's nothing to talk about."

"Can you just...hear me out?" Yang asked. "Let me explain why I've been acting the way that I have."

Blake exhaled through her nose. "Fine."

Yang leaned back against the door and drummed her fingers lightly against it. "I am.." she looked Blake directly in the eyes. "Extremely attracted to you." Blake's face colored slightly, but she stayed quiet.

"I hired you because there was something about you, something that made me feel like I just had to get to know you better. It's maybe not the most, uh, 'legitimate' hiring process, but you seemed so smart and organized and I - I knew you deserved a more fulfilling job than what you were doing."

Yang paused to collect her thoughts. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going with this, and the expression on Blake's face was unreadable.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is, since the moment we met, you've made me feel things I haven't felt in years. And honestly? I didn't think I'd ever feel this way again."

"Did something happen in the past?" Blake asked. Her expression was still blank, but Yang could catch the concern in her eyes.

"Not anything in particular," Yang said. "I just prioritized my career, and more importantly..." she paused again. "I'm not out yet. I mean, I am to my friends and family, but not publicly. And this really isn't a good time for me to come out, y'know?"

Blake considered that a moment, then frowned.

"Okay. I get it. That's why you need distance from me." She roughly moved Yang out of the way and grabbed the handle of the door. Yang hesitantly reached out to stop her, but Blake stopped on her own, her fingers brushing over the handle of the door.

"If you knew all that," she said quietly. "Then why'd you have to.." She trailed off and took a breath. "Why'd you lead me on, then? It was a game, wasn't it? And now you're done and going back to your career."

"Blake, no." Yang moved closer, reaching out towards her. Blake shoved her away.

"Stop." She stared at the floor, knowing the exact hurt look that Yang would have in her eyes without looking. "This isn't fair."

"I know," Yang said softly. "I'm sorry."

"You kind of broke my heart," Blake said, refusing to meet Yang's eyes. "And...I think you need to figure out what it is you want."

Maybe it was the earlier conversation with Qrow, but something inside Yang suddenly shifted. It was like whatever had gotten muddled up over years of hiding a part of herself, and over months of forcibly pulling herself away from Blake, had become clear. And before Yang knew what was happening, her body moved on it's own. She stepped closer to Blake again, close enough that she could make out tears welling up in the corners of her lovely eyes.

"I want you," Yang stated simply. Blake looked up at her cautiously, a few tears spilling over onto her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Blake." Yang brushed the tears away with the backs of her fingers. "I didn't mean to lead you on, I swear. I kept trying to hold myself back, but I just can't help myself with you! You're so beautiful, and funny, and kind, and I..." She trailed off and dried the last of Blake's tears.

"I want you," she said again, her voice a whisper. "If you're willing to give me another chance, of course."

Blake took a somewhat shaky breath. "I'm still upset at you. But...okay."

"And now that you've decided what you want, let me ask you this," Blake continued, one side of her mouth curving up slightly. "What do you want me to do right now?" She looked directly into Yang's eyes. Yang stared back, completely losing herself in the golden eyes that were only inches away from her own.

"A kiss would be nice," she murmured without a thought.

"Alright." Blake brushed Yang's hair back with one hand, holding the side of her face while she leaned in. Yang's heart stopped for a second when she felt Blake's lips lightly brushing against her own. It was a much more cautious kiss than the last one, but Blake's soft lips managed to move in a subtle way that sent Yang's heart rate skyrocketing. Any reservations she had left melted in an instant. Her arms moved with total assurance, wrapping around Blake's waist and pulling her as close as humanly possible. Blake took the opportunity to kiss her deeper, stroking her hand down Yang's face to grasp the back of her neck.

She pulled back for a second, panting slightly. "Okay, I'm not upset anymore," Blake breathed.

Yang laughed, also out of breath. "I can't believe I made this so hard," she said, grinning for the first time in days. "I'm an idiot."

"Mm, maybe a little." Blake's eyes were sparkling. Yang held her hips and pulled her in for another kiss.

"Wait," Blake moved her head back. "What's your plan here? Does this mean you're going to come out publicly?"

Yang shrugged. "No plan yet, we can get to that later," she responded. Blake smiled at the use of the word 'we.' "Right now the only plan is to keep kissing you, how's that sound?"

"Perfect."

"No you."

Blake rolled her eyes. "So cheesy." Then she grabbed Yang's collar and kissed her again, pushing her back against the wall. Yang's hands took on a mind of their own and drifted lower, towards the edge of Blake's skirt.

Blake hummed against her mouth. Her hands were now lost somewhere in the mane of purple hair, and she was pressing her harder against the wall now. Yang had to admit she kinda liked it.

Yang's eyes flew open at the sound of a sudden knock on the door. Blake sprang two feet away from her just as the door swung open, nearly getting smacked in the process. She dodged out of the way, ending up trapped in between the door and the wall behind it.

"Qrow! What a surprise!" Yang yelled, hoping Blake would somehow read her mind and stay out of sight.

"Why are you yelling?" Qrow asked with an eyebrow raise. "Eh, never mind. I came here to..." He shifted semi-uncomfortably. "Apologize."

"Wait, really?" Yang's shock at his statement briefly pierced through the veil of "OH HOLY SHIT" that was clouding her mind at the moment.

"Yeah," he said, rubbing his neck. "I was maybe too harsh earlier, especially since I know things didn't work out how you wanted with Belladonna."

"Ah..." Yang tried very hard not to look at the door Blake was standing behind.

"Anyway, I thought about it and I think Vale might finally be ready for some progress." Qrow leaned against the doorframe. "Not during the campaign, obviously. But once we get you in office, I think we can start looking for an opportunity to...How'd I put it before? 'Shock everyone.'" He gave her a sideways sort of grin.

Yang's excitement at his words was somewhat diminished by the fact that she could still taste Blake on her lips.

"That's awesome, Qrow!" she said, hoping her smile didn't look as distracted as it felt. Qrow's eyes narrowed.

"You okay, kiddo? I expected more of a reaction here."

"I'm great, it's all great!" Yang said way too quickly. "I got a lot of work to do but yeah, good talk!" She started pushing him out of the door.

"Uh, wha-"

"Sorry, gotta go!" Yang basically shut the door in his face. Blake, who had been pressed against the wall, stepped towards her and gave her a wry smile.

"Smooth."

"Quiet, you," Yang said fondly. She reached out for Blake's hand, then pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing up and down Blake's back slowly. Blake sighed contentedly. She wrapped her arms around Yang's waist and nestled her head against Yang's neck, where it seemed to fit perfectly. For the first time in a long while, she felt like everything was alright.

 **AN:** **How bout that new episode, amirite? :D**

 **Anyway, Yangst averted (for now)! Sorry for the cheesy chapter name btw I literally have no idea what I'm doing at any given time. Thanks for reading and drop a review if you'd like! 3**


	15. Chapter 15

Late October hit Vale like a ton of bricks. The seasonal shift came swiftly, but Blake considered it a welcome change of pace. Fall had always been her favorite season, with its sweater weather and its colorful leaves. But it also meant that the campaign was now into its final month, and Yang was running around so much that she was hardly at the office anymore.

Qrow had her film a couple commercials, and they used the gala funding to broadcast them on tons of radio and TV stations around Vale. The whole group had spent days putting up posters and handing out free t-shirts, buttons, and lawn signs to anyone who would take them. It was tough, but Yang's charm came through as always, and she talked to person after person, showing almost no signs of fatigue. But between ad filming, interviews, public speeches and appearances, preparing for the second debate, and her regular council duties, Yang was stretched thinner than Blake had ever witnessed.

Yet somehow she still found time to be romantic. Well, Yang's version of romantic, which Blake found oddly endearing.

The day after their first kiss, Blake arrived to find a small box of something laid smack in the center of her desk. Closer investigation revealed that is was, in fact, a box of macaroni.

"Um, Yang? Why is this here?"

Yang was watching her with a giant, goofy smile on her face. "It's a gift! Take it as an apology for me being stupid before."

"You're not stupid," Blake said automatically. "And...this is macaroni."

"And CHEESE, Blake! Look, it's shaped like bunny rabbits, isn't it cuuute?" Yang sidled over and threw an arm around Blake's shoulders.

"I guess?"

Yang sighed. "I know it's lame. I was gonna buy you lilies, but then the flower shop was closed so I panicked and, well, here we are!" She laughed somewhat sheepishly.

Blake felt a familiar smile work its way onto her face, not in the least because Yang had remembered her favorite flower. "It looks good. Thanks, Yang." She turned her head and placed a light kiss on Yang's cheek.

Yang turned red and sputtered out something about it being no big deal before fleeing back to her desk.

That was another thing Blake had quickly come to appreciate about Yang: how incredibly easy it was to get her flustered. Yang might act like some James Dean-type badass, but all it took was one carefully executed touch from Blake to turn her into a blushing mess. Blake thought it was adorable.

So, naturally, she took every chance she could to spend time with Yang. It was honestly starting to affect their work efficiency. Whenever they were in Yang's office together more than ten minutes, one of them would invariably come to the other one's desk. And then light touches would lead to light kisses would lead to full-on make outs would lead to, in one instance, Yang dramatically sweeping everything off of her desk in a big romantic gesture she had probably seen in some movie.

Of course, that one was a non-starter, since a large, glass paperweight had been among the items on the desk. It narrowly missed Yang's foot and shattered into dozens of pieces on the floor, prompting Qrow and Ruby to come running in and Yang launching into a half-funny, half-depressing attempt to convince them that she had tripped and somehow knocked EVERYTHING onto the floor.

Luckily they had both backed off, although not without some suspicious glances.

Blake and Yang had decided last week to keep their..."relationship" to themselves for now. Yang described it as "bonus time" before she could publicly come out, which would ideally be in a few months. Blake agreed to the terms of secrecy since...well, since it was Yang.

Plus, the secret lovers cliché had an embarrassing amount of appeal to her. Blake decided that she read way too many romance novels.

At the moment, Yang's desk was back in order, minus one paperweight. She had a rare couple hours in the office before another meeting with Weiss Schnee, and was working feverishly while Blake watched her out of the corner of her eye. Yang was wearing one of her best suits in preparation for the meeting, but had by now - in typical Yang fashion - discarded the jacket on a nearby chair and loosened the tie so that she could unbutton her top two buttons. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, which she leaned heavily on the desk while she worked. Blake's eyes were drawn to her strong forearms. Yang was kind of jacked. As she looked intently at her arms, Yang shifted suddenly, lowering the paper she had been holding up.

"May I help you?"

Oh god, now she was looking at her with those eyes. Blake felt her face heat up.

"Um, n-no I was just..."

"Staring at me? You're not nearly as sneaky as you think you are." Yang rested her face on her palm and grinned. Blake continued staring mutely, overcome by the sheer force of her feelings.

"Come here."

Yang's voice sounded like honey, and Blake couldn't have resisted it if she tried. Which she didn't. She immediately walked over to Yang's desk, paused to take in her smirking face, and then flicked her lightly on the forehead.

"H-Hey! What was that for?"

"You looked way too smug," Blake explained simply, sitting on Yang's desk with her feet just brushing the floor.

Yang gaped at her for a second. "Unbelievable."

Blake rolled her eyes, but leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Better?"

"Hm, I GUESS," Yang said. But her smile gave her away as always.

Blake gave her another kiss on the forehead. "So, what are you working on?" she asked.

"Nothin' much. Just another factory idea," Yang sighed and clasped her hands, resting her chin on top of them.

"A new one?" Blake was continually impressed by Yang's perseverance. If it was her, she probably would have backed down by now and started damage control.

"I mean, I said I was gonna save that park, yeah?"

"God, you're stubborn."

"Hell yeah - like a bull, that's what Ruby says! In fact, I'll have you know I'm a taurus," Yang stated with a wink. Blake instinctively tensed at the word, her fists clenching before she could stop them. Yang noticed immediately and the smile dropped off of her face in a split second.

"Whoa, you okay? Did I say something wrong?" Her forehead was now creased in concern.

"No, it's fine." Blake spoke way too hastily to be convincing.

Yang was still frowning. She rubbed a piece of paper between her fingers like she was very carefully considering what to say next.

"...you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Blake took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I know. But can we not talk about it right now?"

Yang hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Of course."

There was silence for a moment, and Blake shifted awkwardly.

"So, let's see what you're working on," she said, mostly to fill the silence. She walked around the desk and looked over Yang's shoulder.

"It's a bit of a crazy plan," Yang admitted. She chuckled nervously.

Blake's eyes widened as she looked over the pictures and documents scattered around Yang's desk, then quickly scanned through the overview pulled up on her laptop. "It's genius."

Yang blushed at the word and swiveled back and forth in her chair. "Well, I dunno about that..."

"But Weiss-" Blake started, then stopped herself.

"Yeah I know. It'll be tough," Yang said. She leaned back in the chair and looked up at Blake from under her bangs. "You actually like it though?"

Blake smiled warmly. "Obviously, it's insane. But I have no doubt in my mind that you could pull it off," she concluded. Yang's grin was so bright it could probably be used to guide ships to shore in a storm. Blake certainly felt like it was pulling her in. No wait, that was Yang's arm, which had wrapped around her back.

"You're perfect." Yang stated it calmly, like some sort of undeniable fact. Blake felt her entire face go red. Her speech faculties had abandoned her.

Yang laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Wow, it's so easy to get you all flustered," she teased.

"N-No, that's you! And that line's way too cheesy anyway," Blake protested. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tried to control her blush, although the prolonged eye contact with Yang combined with the feeling of her stupidly muscular arm around her really wasn't helping matters.

"Really? Which one of us is doing a tomato impression right now, hmm?" Yang looked disgustingly pleased with herself.

That was the final straw for Blake. She half-lunged, half-fell forward directly into Yang's lap and kissed her hard on the mouth. The chair skittered backwards and collided with the wall behind the desk. Yang's eyebrows shot up to get lost somewhere in her hair, but before she could do anything Blake pulled back and stared her directly in the eyes.

"Blake...my rolly chair," Yang whispered. Her cheeks were distinctly pink in color.

"I wouldn't worry about the chair if I were you," Blake said, her voice lower pitched than usual. She leaned further into Yang and pressed an open-mouthed kiss on her lips. Yang's legs suddenly felt like they were made of jello, and she was grateful that she was sitting down.

"Blakeeey."

Blake shushed her gently, lowering her head to kiss at her neck. Yang eyes drifted shut. She sighed happily and rubbed her hands in slow, soothing movements along Blake's back. Blake waited a moment, then cautiously slipped a hand under Yang's shirt. As expected, her abs were just as nice as her arms. Blake smiled against Yang's neck. Her hand roamed higher up the shirt, lightly exploring the full area of Yang's core.

"YANG."

The voice came from the doorway.

Blake pulled back slowly, looking almost annoyed at the interruption.

"R-Ruby, what the hell?!" Yang gasped, straightening her shirt nervously while Blake extracted herself from her lap.

"Wha- I should be asking you that!" Ruby pointed an accusatory finger. "You two were about to have sex in your office!" She made a face. "Gross."

"We absolutely WERE NOT!" Yang yelped.

"Yang, you're screaming," Blake informed her calmly.

"Listen, we all know you two are 'secret dating' or something, but I don't wanna see-"

"WHAT?"

"Still screaming, Yang." Blake patted her shoulder. Then she blinked and looked at Ruby. "Wait, you knew?"

Ruby giggled at the looks on their faces. "Um, you guys are reaaaally obvious."

Yang was still staring at her, mouth slightly open.

"C'mon Yang, we can all see it when you grab her knee under the table. You do realize that table is mostly made of GLASS, right?"

"There were papers on it! I thought...hold up, what d'you mean 'we'?" Yang's expression had morphed into one of pained dread.

Ruby started listing people off on her fingers. "Me, Jaune, Pyrrha, I think Ren figured it out when he delivered those cupcakes, Nora probably because Ren would tell her, aaaaand Dad."

"Oh god, your dad knows?" Blake looked pale.

"He asked me about it because, y'know, you guys are flirting LITERALLY all the time. And I can't lie to him, you know that!" Ruby explained, looking a little nervous herself at the face Yang was making.

"...What about Qrow?" Yang asked finally.

Ruby thought for a second. "Nah, I don't think so. He wasn't there during the big Bella-knee-grab incident." Blake groaned and put her face in her hands. "And we've all been making an effort to keep him away from your office, since I figured you wouldn't want him to know?"

"Huh," Yang said. Then she smiled warmly at her sister. "Have I ever mentioned that you're the best?"

Ruby grinned widely and shook her head. "Nope, not once!"

Yang stood up and stretched.

"Two things though," she said, still smiling. "First, you and the rest of them better not tell anyone else about this. It can't go public, got it?" Ruby nodded immediately and gave her a quick salute. "And second, please - and I'm begging you here - learn to KNOCK."

Ruby produced a sound that can only be described as a squeak of indignation. "Wha- I didn't expect you to be doing...THAT!"

Blake sighed, and decided to step in before things got derailed any further. "Anyway, Ruby, is there a reason you came in here?"

"Oh, right! Weiss will be here for the meeting in about 10 minutes." Her voice took on the dreamy quality it always did when she talked about the Schnee Company CEO. "Just wanted to remind you. And like, to NOT see you two about to take off all your clothes and-"

"WATCH IT," Yang warned. Ruby wisely shut her mouth and beat a hasty retreat from the room.

Yang laughed lightly and shook her head. She turned around to gather up the materials on her desk, nearly running into Blake, who had somehow teleported behind her.

"Whoa, what's up Blakey?"

"We got interrupted, didn't we?" Blake said, a sly smile landing on her face. "I think we were somewhere around here..." She grabbed Yang's shoulders and leaned up to kiss her deeply.

"Now?" Yang asked a moment later when they pulled apart. "The meeting's in..." She glanced at her watch. "8 minutes."

Blake half-raised an eyebrow.

"Well shit, that's a good point," Yang said. She gently tugged Blake closer to her for another kiss.

Exactly 7 minutes later, the two of them entered the conference room. Ruby exhaled audibly when she saw Yang's messy hair.

"Sis, you've got lipstick all over your face," she stated.

"Blake! Why didn't you tell me?" Yang wiped at her mouth vigorously.

"I...My mind was elsewhere," Blake said stiffly, avoiding eye contact with both sisters and especially with Weiss Schnee, who was quietly sitting at the table with a veiled expression.

"If you're quite done over there, I believe you called me here with a new proposal?" Weiss directed her question at Yang.

"Right, yes!" Yang had grabbed a tissue and was still trying and failing to clean her face.

Weiss sighed. "It's alright, take your time," she said, surprisingly un-sarcastically. Then she caught Blake's eye and smirked. "Nice job taking my advice."

Blake was unsure whether to thank her or glare at her, eventually settling on a completely blank expression.

Yang finally cleared her throat to begin, and three pairs of eyes swung over to look at her.

"Sorry about that." She straightened her tie and cleared her throat again.

"So. As we all know, the main issues we've been running into with the factory are space, location, and cost. Well, I think I have a solution that doesn't compromise on location and actually increases the space available."

Weiss leaned forward slightly. Her eyes were sharp. Yang had already caught her attention, and that made Blake smile.

"Not only that, but this plan will improve tourism potential for the factory by a lot. Plus, it has environmental appeal, and-"

"Stop hyping it up and tell us what it is," Weiss demanded, although she was looking more curious than irritated.

"Of course," Yang replied. "We build the factory..." She paused for dramatic emphasis, her smile gleaming. "Underground!"

Blake's proud smile got a little bit wider. There was silence as Weiss processed what she had just heard.

"...Explain."

Yang laughed good-naturedly. "Thanks for giving it a chance," she said with a wink. Weiss rolled her eyes, but they all saw the small smile that flashed over her lips.

"Alright, so this sorta thing has been done before. Here's the info I got on modern underground factories. Mostly overseas, but it's all relevant." She dumped a folder in front of Weiss. "Here's cost-benefit for the Schnee factory, taking into account tourism and public support, which will help boost your stocks." She deposited another folder. "You can also save on energy costs by having solar panels on the above-ground entrance. That'll be useful for the 'eco-factory' angle, which tests out really well with the public."

Weiss pawed through the materials cautiously. "Yang, this is expensive." That was all that she said.

"I know." Yang responded steadily. She stayed quiet for another minute while Weiss read a few things over.

Blake decided to step in. "The upfront cost gets offset by later income, and the savings from..." she trailed off when Weiss silently raised a hand to stop her. Blake crossed her arms and shut her mouth. Whatever nice, drunk Weiss she had met a couple weeks ago was obviously not present today. And "Business Weiss" was abrasive as always.

"It could work," Weiss said emotionlessly. Yang and Ruby's eyes lit up at the same time. "But," Weiss continued immediately. "It's going to be impossible to get the board to agree."

"Nah, not impossible." Yang didn't seem put off in the slightest. "I would say _nearly_ impossible."

Weiss waved a hand. "Whatever you want to call it. This is too risky."

"Weiss.." Ruby looked at her like she had something to say but couldn't find the words. Weiss winced at the downtrodden expression on her face.

"Don't give me that look! If father fires me, it'll be over for all of us." Weiss crossed her arms with an air of finality.

"If you were avoiding things because they were risky, you wouldn't be here right now, talking to all of us," Yang said, maintaining her calm tone.

Weiss didn't say anything in response.

"You have a chance to really improve the Schnee image here. And don't forget all of us'll be supporting you through the whole thing." Yang gave her a sunny smile.

"You will?" Weiss was genuinely surprised.

"Of course we will!" Ruby chimed in. Weiss looked between the three of them, her eyes wide.

Blake made eye contact with her for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, you won't be alone in this," Blake said. "You helped me, after all." Her eyes flickered over to Yang for a second, then back to Weiss.

Weiss shook her head, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face. "You people are absolutely ridiculous. And you! Don't you have a campaign to finish?" she asked Yang.

"Eh, there's under a month left. I'll make time for now, and once I'm mayor we can put even more resources on it," Yang replied with another grin.

"You're way too confident."

"So does that mean you're down?" Yang asked, bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet.

"Have some professionalism," Weiss said sharply. Then she nodded slowly. "I'll look over the work you've done and get back to you shortly. I am...considering it."

They were all smiling now, and Ruby looked like she wanted to kiss Weiss right there. At the moment, even Blake wanted to kiss her.

"If that's all, I have a lunch appointment to get to," Weiss continued, pushing out her chair and rising to her feet. Yang nodded vigorously.

"Of course. Thank you." She stood up to shake Weiss' hand. "Seriously, Weiss. Thank you."

Weiss blushed a little from the attention. "Alright, that's enough. I don't want to be late for my appointment."

"Wait, what appointment?" Ruby asked, standing up beside her. She had her lost-puppy face on. "I thought we were having lunch..."

Weiss blushed harder and scowled. "...You're the appointment, dolt." She snatched Ruby's hand and pulled her out of the room, pointedly ignoring Yang's loud "AWWW CUUUUTE!"

"Ahh, must be nice," Yang sighed once they had gone.

"Hm?" Blake raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her.

"You know, not having to hide."

"How so?"

"Oh, I guess it was a while before you moved to Vale. But she's been out as a lesbian for a while now," Yang explained. "Her dad might be a dick in every other way, but at least he's not homophobic." She shrugged.

"Huh...I had no idea." Blake stood up and gathered a few things from the conference table. "You'd think after living here for nearly a year it would have come up, especially since I'm a journalist."

Yang shrugged again. "I guess people just don't talk about it."

"That's stupid."

Yang laughed at Blake's dry tone, although it faded quickly. "Yeah, it is," she said, the last of her smile disappearing. "But now that Weiss went through all that, at least she doesn't have to, y'know, hide her relationship 24/7."

"If it helps, it's not like we hide it very well."

Yang laughed properly at that. "Fair point," she said. "We should probably be more careful."

"We should," Blake agreed. She was moving towards Yang now.

"On the other hand, though," Yang said, a smile inching onto her face. "Some might say it's a good thing that all our friends know about it."

"Oh yeah?" Blake was right next to her now. "Who are the 'some' that say that?"

"Me mostly," Yang replied. Blake rolled her eyes.

"What, I'm serious! They're all trustworthy people, and now we can be all gross and gay whenever we hang out with them." Yang grinned.

"You know, Weiss might be onto something when she calls you a...what was it? A knave?" Blake was grinning right back.

"Mmhm, and a barbarian. I like that one."

"Of course you do." Blake finally reached up to grab Yang's shirt and pull her in for a soft kiss. Yang smiled against her lips and kissed her back just as softly. And for a single, thrilling moment, Blake felt like she might be falling in love. But she chased that thought away before it went too far.

 **AN: Sup everyone! Since the RWBY V5 finale was a little...light on the bees (imo) I made this chapter every gayer than necessary lol. Also fun fact the mac n cheese bit was inspired by true events - remember, flower shops will let you down but the 7/11 pasta section is always there for u!**

 **Another fun fact: underground eco-factories are actually a thing! Realistically, I think it might be too expensive a solution in the context of the factory in this story, buuut it's a fanfiction so fuck it :P**

 **Thanks for reading as always, and drop a review if you're feeling it!**


	16. Chapter 16

"You know, you don't have to keep buying me these."

"But you liked the first one so much!"

Blake laughed at that, then looked down at the box of macaroni and cheese in her hand. This one was shaped like characters from Scooby-Doo.

"They aren't very healthy either," Blake said.

Yang gave her a look. "Alright, fine, next time I'll get you a bunch of celery, how's that?"

"Perfect. Very romantic of you," Blake deadpanned.

"Well, we ALL know celery is the most romantic of the vegetables." Yang grinned as she pulled on her blazer.

It was a fairly warm day for late October, eliminating the need for any heavy coats. Although they would have gone out in any weather. The second and final debate of the mayoral race was in three days, and Yang was getting as much canvassing as possible in before then.

They had been at it for weeks now, and Blake still disliked it just as much as the first time they had gone. Talking to strangers, giving a rehearsed speech, often getting a door closed in their faces. None of it was Blake's cup of tea. Yang's presence was pretty much the only thing keeping her sane during those long hours since she, as always, found a way to make the task entertaining. After each house, she would covertly whisper some speculation to Blake about the homeowner. Something like "She's definitely in witness protection. Why else would she only open the door two inches?" or maybe "They've gotta be a spy...bowtie looked like a hidden camera to me" or even "Aliens, all of them. Or hostages. No human would willingly paint their walls that color."

Today, they split up into pairs and selected routes through various neighborhoods. Jaune and Pyrrha took West Vale while Ruby and Qrow headed East. Ren and Nora, who had closed the cafe for a couple hours to help, took the Southern quadrant and Blake and Yang began their afternoon in North Vale.

Yang drove, humming along to some rock station on the radio, while Blake sat beside her quietly reviewing their map one more time.

"Oh." Blake said.

"Oh?" Yang said in reply.

"My friend lives around here with her girlfriend. I actually think we're going to their house." Blake smiled at the thought of seeing Velvet again. They hadn't met in person since she and her "roommate" Coco had officially started dating.

"Coco and Velvet? You know them?"

Blake blinked in surprise. "Yeah, I worked with Velvet for a while. You know them too?"

"Ah, was that the News N' Stuff days? What a time." Yang shot her a snarky grin.

"We don't speak of that time." Blake grumbled. "And keep your eyes on the road."

"Yes of course, my mistake," Yang chuckled. "But yeah, I met Coco a while ago through, well, boxing."

"You box? That explains the arms..." Blake said.

"Not anymore. And I've had these guns since birth, baby!" Yang flexed her arm.

"Both hands on the wheel," Blake said. But she couldn't stop herself from aiming a sideways look at Yang's bicep. Certain scenes from certain novels she had read started flashing through her head, and she blushed a little. "Stupid _Ninjas of Love_ ," Blake muttered under her breath.

"Here we are!" Yang announced, pulling into an average-looking neighborhood. Blake forcibly shook herself out of her fantasies and exited the car.

Yang handed her half of a stack of informational brochures containing details of her platform, the upcoming debate, and how to vote in the election. Blake looked at the smiling photo of Yang on the front, with her dazzling purple eyes, and found herself smiling back.

"You know, the real thing's right here." Blake raised her eyes and was immediately struck by the same smile. She reached out and brushed some of Yang's hair off her face.

"I know. Should we get started?"

The next two hours passed slowly but bearably. The temperate weather made it a nice day to be outside walking around, and they even had fewer rude door slams than usual.

Everything was going fine until about two-thirds of the way through their route as they were walking down Emerald Drive, their bodies as close together as physically possible. Every so often their hands would swing too close and gently brush against each other, skin contact that Blake for one definitely appreciated. But eventually, she got impatient. Blake casually reached over the short distance between them and took Yang's hand in her own. Their fingers interlocked easily, and each of them smiled softly. They took a few steps that way until Yang suddenly stopped in her tracks and pulled her hand away.

"...what's wrong?" Blake asked, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.

"Nothing's wrong! It's just...we're in public so we can't really...it would seem weird if someone saw us, you know?"

"Oh. Right, of course," Blake said hastily. The perfect weather and Yang's intoxicating presence had made her somehow forget that they needed to be discreet. If the regretful expression on Yang's face was any indication, she had forgotten as well. They resumed walking in silence.

After a couple minutes, Yang sighed. "I'm sorry, Blake."

"Don't apologize! It's only for a little longer anyway." Blake gave her a smile that Yang struggled to return.

"You shouldn't have to deal with all this crap, though," Yang said.

"Yang, it's okay." Blake hesitated, then spoke again. "You're worth waiting for."

Yang turned red. "Geez Blake, give me a warning before you say something like that!" She fanned herself with the brochures while Blake resisted the urge to laugh.

They stopped in front of the door to the next house, and Yang rang the bell. She cleared her throat and straightened her hair. "Great, now you've got me all flustered," she said with a smile.

Blake shrugged. "What can I do? You make it so easy." Yang looked ready to make some, probably vulgar, retort when the door swung open.

"Good evening! I was wondering if you have a few minutes to talk about the upcoming mayoral election?" Yang's smile was charming as always.

The woman who had opened the door eyed the two of them suspiciously. She was middle-aged, with wispy brown hair that was starting to go gray. Her mouth was set in a seemingly permanent frown.

"I recognize you," she said stiffly, staring directly at Yang.

Yang soldiered on, completely undeterred. "That's great! Being engaged in local politics is extremely important. Would you like to hear about the key points of my platform? We also have this great pamphlet with some information about the election." Yang offered one to the woman, who shrank away like it was poisoned.

"I don't want anything from one of you," she growled, starting to close the door.

"One of what?" Blake asked, exchanging a perplexed look with Yang.

"You know what you are..." She closed the door and locked it, leaving them to ponder her weirdly ominous statement.

"Oookay, definitely a witch. But like, not the cool kind of witch." Yang shook her head and started trotting back down the path leading to the house.

Blake followed behind her. "More like the kind of witch that traps children and feeds off their screams."

"Damn, that's dark, I love it Blakey!" Yang seemed to have already recovered from the experience. "Probably also the kind of witch that hexes anybody that enters her forest just because she can."

"Oh, undoubtedly," Blake agreed. She rang the bell of the next house.

This time a teenager opened the door. She looked to be going through some sort of goth phase, judging by the black clothing, spiked wristband, and dark purple hair.

"Hello, are your parents home?" Blake asked.

"Oh my god!" The teen's face lit up at the sight of Yang. "You're Yang Xiao Long, right? Oh my god!"

Blake stared at her blankly, her mouth slightly open.

Yang's brow was furrowed. "Uhhh, yeah that's me?"

"Oh wow, I'm screaming." She actually wasn't screaming, but was speaking in a fairly normal tone. "Sorry, I'm freaking out a little. Listen, you are SO inspiring, and me and all of my friends are backing you the fuck up!"

"Um, thanks a lot?" Everything Yang said sounded like a question at this point.

"Wait, can I get a picture?" She didn't wait for an answer before pulling out her phone and posing for a selfie with Yang. "Can I post it on tumblr?"

"I'm...wha-" Yang couldn't even get the thought together.

"Serena, is someone at the door?" A voice called from within the house.

"Yeah Dad, it's that politician, Yang Xiao Long!" Serena called back.

The dad appeared a few seconds later, and swiftly pulled his daughter back inside. "Nice to meet you! Sorry if she was a bit excitable," he said to Yang and Blake with a smile.

Yang seemed too confused to speak, so Blake took over.

"Nice to meet you too, sir. We're out to talk to some citizens and give out these brochures -" she held one out and he took it "- which have information about Councilwoman Xiao Long's platform as well as the election."

"Thanks." He smiled again. "The Councilwoman definitely has my vote. It really is about time that Vale has an openly gay politician!" The words made his daughter make some high-pitched noise of excitement.

Blake's heart stopped beating for what felt like a full minute. Yang looked like she had been punched in the stomach. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Oh, did you two not see the news yet? It's all they've been reporting for the past hour." He looked a bit sheepish now. "Sorry if it was a shock..."

"N-no, it's fine," Yang stuttered. Blake glanced at her face, which had gone rather pale. For a minute she was worried that Yang was going to faint.

But luckily they managed to get away from the house without further incident. As soon as they were back on the sidewalk, Yang stopped walking. She was breathing heavily.

"We need to see what's on the news," she said shakily. "Do you think...did someone see us?"

"No, no way," Blake reassured her. "We held hands for maybe 5 seconds, and that wasn't even an hour ago. They must be reporting something else...I'm sure it's just a dumb rumor."

Yang took a couple deep breaths. "Okay, you're probably right."

Blake checked the map. "Hey, Velvet's house is on the next street. Want to skip ahead so we can check the news?"

Blake laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying her hardest to seem platonic. Yang gave her a grateful look. "Yeah, let's do that."

The walk to Velvet and Coco's house was fraught with nervous tension. Blake found herself obsessing about what news could possibly have broken. Did somebody tell the media about Yang's sexuality? It seemed impossible. Only Yang's family and close friends knew, and none of them would ever do something like that. Maybe somebody let it slip on accident... She gave Yang a worried look. If she herself was this rattled, there was no telling how anxious Yang must be feeling.

Her eyes drifted down to Yang's right hand, which was holding Blake's pen tightly. Blake sighed silently. All she wanted to do right now was hold Yang's hand. But that would obviously only make matters worse, so she kept her hands to herself.

They finally arrived at the house and Yang practically ran down the footpath to the door. She rang the bell and waited, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"What if they're not home," Yang whispered. Before Blake could reply, Velvet mercifully opened the door.

"Blake?" She looked super happy to see her. "And Yang! How are you two doing today?"

"Well, we were out canvassing this neighborhood, but..." Blake winced. "Do you mind if we come in?"

"Of course not," Velvet said. She had immediately turned serious after seeing their faces and hearing the tone of Blake's voice. "What's wrong?"

"Apparently they're reporting something about Yang on the news," Blake explained as they filed into the house. "We haven't seen it yet either."

"Oh dear." Velvet frowned. She led them to the living room and turned on the TV. "Should I leave the room?"

"It's okay," Yang said, speaking for the first time. "Everybody will know soon enough anyway."

Velvet flipped the channel over to the news just as Coco entered the room.

"Velvet, do we have guests - oh, Yang!"

Nobody answered her. They were all too busy reading the breaking news bulletin flashing across the screen.

 **MAYORAL CANDIDATE MAY BE A LESBIAN: RUMORS ROCK VALE**

"Oh, fuck." Coco said.

A clip of Cinder Fall, which Blake assumed had been essentially on a loop for the past hour, was in the middle of playing.

"If was just after the first debate - I went to congratulate Ms. Xiao Long on her performance, and, well, I couldn't believe it but she started coming onto me! I believe there is footage of that event that might show the encounter." Cinder shook her head like she was in shock.

The footage in question began playing immediately. Although they were far away from the camera and obscured by several people in front of them, it was clear that Yang and Cinder were standing very close together, until Cinder suddenly moved away and walked back over to where Mercury was standing.

"I've really struggled with revealing this information," the clip of Cinder continued. "I do feel that this...peculiarity...is Ms. Xiao Long's business. However, coming onto people as she did is always unbecoming behavior for a potential mayor of Vale. And more importantly, the people of Vale have the right to know exactly whom it is they are electing." She paused and looked directly into the camera. "Yang Xiao Long has been lying to us all about who she is for a long time now."

The clip ended and the anchors immediately started talking. "Well, there you have it, the SHOCKING accusations leveled at Councilwoman Xiao Long from the campaign manager of her closest opposition. It really is-"

Velvet muted the TV. Three pairs of eyes stared directly at Yang.

"Yang?" Blake asked cautiously.

Yang looked up at the three of them, then burst out laughing.

"Is that the best they could come up with?" she asked, still laughing.

Coco smiled hesitantly. "It is a pretty stupid rumor... but, aren't you worried? You know, since it's true?"

Yang waved a hand. "Come on, give it a day to settle and most people won't believe it. We'll call it out for what it is: an unsubstantiated rumor from a campaign that's 15 points behind me in the polls."

"So you're going to deny it?" Blake asked.

"Not directly...More like, not justify this stupidity with a real response." Yang chuckled again. "You were right Blake, there was no reason to worry."

"I see." Velvet sounded a bit unsure. "Well then, would the two of you like some tea?"

They both nodded and she scurried off to the kitchen. Yang plopped down on the couch and Coco sat beside her.

"Do you think maybe you're trying a bit too hard to brush this off? It's gotta be pretty scary," Coco said.

Blake sat down on the other side of Yang and put a hand on her thigh. "It's okay to be scared," she stated. "It's good that they don't have any 'evidence' per se, but it's still a bit unnerving."

Yang sighed. "Yeah, but there's nothing I can do about it."

Blake winced again. It was like she always found a way to say the exact wrong thing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be gloomy when you were trying to be positive."

"Nah you were right. I am scared. My numbers will probably take a hit since realistically some people will believe this garbage, and most of them will be the type that take it as a reason to not support me." She sighed again. "But more importantly I'm scared what'll happen if they actually do find 'evidence,' or whatever. There's so much backlash already and it's only a random rumor. Damn, how did she know to go for this in particular?"

Blake moved her hand up to rub Yang's arm gently.

"It's alright, we'll just have to hope nothing happens to legitimately out me," Yang said. She was definitely trying to reassure herself at this point.

They sat in silence for a minute, until Coco cleared her throat.

"In other news, how long have you two been dating?" She regarded them both with a raised eyebrow.

"God, we're really bad at hiding this," Blake said. She didn't bother to remove her hand from Yang's arm.

"Only a few weeks," Yang answered. She gave Blake a fake look of exasperation. "It's meant to be discreet but _someone_ can't keep her hands off me."

"Every day is a constant struggle," Blake responded.

Coco laughed. "It's cute. You guys are cute." She smiled at them.

"What's cute?" Velvet had chosen that moment to return from the kitchen with a tray full of teacups and scones.

"That these two are dating," Coco revealed.

"Oh yes, obviously," Velvet said, putting the tray down. "That was clear from the moment they set foot in here."

Blake stared at her. "What? No it wasn't."

Velvet gave her a look. "If you don't want people to know you're in love with Yang, you shouldn't be looking at her that way all the time."

Blake sank back like she was trying to fuse with the couch. Yang, on the other hand, looked like she had just won the lottery.

"Well, well, well, well, well!"

"And same goes for you of course, Yang," Velvet continued. That shut her up pretty fast.

Coco laughed again. "Useless, both of you. Now drink your tea." She passed them each a cup.

Blake accepted the teacup gratefully and settled back into her spot, leaning against Yang perhaps a bit more than necessary. She glanced up at the television, which was still showing the news on mute. They were now interviewing an aide from the Black campaign.

Blake's heart stopped beating the second that she saw his face. She gasped quietly, her hands shaking uncontrollably. The teacup slid out of her grip and shattered on the floor.

 **AN: Main drama of this story is INCOMING folks! I'm also hoping that this past hiatus will be the last one for this fic (sorry again for my long gaps between updates). Drop a review if you're feelin it!**

 **Have a nice day/night!**


	17. Chapter 17

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am!" Weiss was rather huffy as she spoke. "You think I have nothing better to do than harass Vale's environmental groups for no reason?"

The woman in front of her raised her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry Miss Schnee, it's just seems pretty out of character for you."

"Let's not focus on me, shall we? Can I count on the Vale Preservation Society to support our factory?" Weiss leaned forward almost imperceptibly, then corrected herself. She had to control her anxiety over the woman's next response.

"Well, we at VPS are obviously thrilled by the new factory plans. What kind of support were you thinking of?"

Weiss hesitated, glancing down. Her father would have a field day criticizing her behavior in this meeting. But then again, it wasn't like this was exactly familiar ground for her. She raised her eyes and they landed on the simple nameplate on the woman's desk. "Arslan" was her name, almost like the lion from Narnia. She certainly had the strong and imposing air of a lion, and her ferocity and passion for her work was abundantly clear.

"The Schnee Company would like assistance with publicizing factory tours. And...monetary support."

Arslan's eyes widened. "Interesting. One of the biggest companies in the country doesn't have the funds for one factory? And you come asking a grassroots environmental group of all people?"

Weiss kept her gaze perfectly steady. "Yes. While the Schnee Company has the funds technically, the amount approved for this factory is lower than what would be required to excavate the necessary areas of the park, build the factory, then re-landscape the area."

"You can't get more money approved? Aren't you the CEO?" Arslan questioned. She seemed more genuinely curious than anything.

Weiss hesitated again. "That's...immaterial. Can VPS assist in a financial regard?"

This time Arslan hesitated. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "We could help with crowdfunding, although our community would understandably not want to donate to a giant corporation with a less than stellar environmental record."

"I understand," Weiss said. She really was terrible at being the one asking for money for a change. "Unless we could focus on the park rather than the company for your fundraising efforts?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, making sure that all of the money that you raise goes to the landscaping. Perhaps the public would be more willing to donate if they know that the money is going to beautifying the park?"

Arslan chuckled a little. "That's one way to spin it. Can you ensure that the money will be used for that?"

"I can if the Schnee Company never touches it," Weiss said. "If VPS handles donations and landscaper payment then you can personally verify that all of the funds are being spent appropriately."

"So now you're outsourcing landscaping to us?" Arslan raised an eyebrow.

"Not at all! The Schnee Co - I will organize and partially pay for the re-landscaping. All I'm asking is for your organization to handle public support and some money management."

"Hmm." Arslan stared at her for a long moment. "I still can't tell if you're being serious about this. But we will consider it if it'll help save our park."

"Thank you." Weiss managed a small smile.

The trip to City Hall was a dismal one. Klein could tell that the meeting hadn't gone well from the moment that Weiss entered the car with an almost involuntary sigh. And she sat in the passenger seat, bypassing him as he held the rear door open. She only sat there when she wanted to talk about something serious. He drove smoothly, and wisely waited for her to begin the conversation.

"There's no money for this factory."

She was right, and Klein wasn't about to lie to her. "That does seem to be the case, ma'am."

"What should I do?" she whispered.

Klein paused to think for a moment. "I believe you have two options, Miss. You could explain the situation to your friends at City Hall and tell them that the factory must be aboveground. Or, you could ask them for help."

Weiss frowned. "I won't give up on them-on this!"

Klein smiled. "Well then it seems that you have one option." They pulled up in front of the building and he nodded in its direction.

"They don't have the money for this either," Weiss said softly.

"No, but maybe they'll have some ideas. Or help you think of another idea. You should get out of your own head, Miss Schnee." He smiled genially.

Weiss looked like she didn't believe him, but she nodded anyway. "Thanks Klein."

"Of course, Miss Schnee." He got out of the car to open her door.

Yang re-tucked in her shirt and pulled down her blazer to straighten it.

"How do I look?"

Blake glanced her up and down. "I would say...dapper."

"Perfect." Yang looked thoroughly pleased with her response. It was even more important today than usual that she look put together. Since Cinder's allegations had gone viral the day before, she had made a point of staying out of public areas. Which made this afternoon's council session particularly stressful. Qrow predicted that at least a few "concerned citizens" would show up and bring up the developing scandal in some capacity.

"Can't wait to seduce all the homophobes and really blow this scandal wide open," Yang said, winking at Blake.

"If you seduce anybody you'll be sleeping on the couch," Blake replied, not looking up from her desk.

"Hey - I was joking! And it's my apartment..." Blake made eye contact and raised her eyebrows.

Yang gave her best innocent smile. She was trying to keep things lighthearted, but the truth was she was nervous. Her response was rehearsed - rebuff the claims as a silly rumor - but the idea of confrontation about this of all things was making her palms sweat. Despite her career choice, she really didn't like to lie to constituents.

And then there was Blake. She'd been acting weird since the teacup-destruction incident from yesterday. Yang had noticed her shrinking away from contact, keeping her distance more than usual. But Blake refused to explain or even acknowledge her behavior.

"You okay?" Yang has asked that morning.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay, that's good! You seem a little off that's all."

"Oh. Well I'm alright, don't worry."

And that was it. Blake totally shut down any further conversation on the topic, and Yang had no clue how to get her to open up. It probably shouldn't be bothering her so much since she knew full well that Blake was an extremely private person. But it bothered her anyway.

Yang leaned over Blake's desk to kiss her forehead. "Okay, no seduction. Happy?"

"Thrilled," Blake deadpanned. She looked up at Yang for a second. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

Yang shook her head immediately. "Nah, it's boring council shit and you have other stuff to do. I can handle this, no problem." She forced another smile.

Blake looked hesitant, but there was a knock at the door before she could say anything else. Ruby's head popped in a second later.

"Hey guys, Weiss is here! I think she had some questions about your factory idea," Ruby explained.

Blake and Yang exchanged a look. It wasn't like Weiss to drop in without warning. They both followed Ruby out to the central office area, where Weiss was standing.

"Hey Weiss, this is a nice surprise!" Yang began. "What sort of questions did you have?"

Weiss shifted her feet. She looked pretty uncomfortable. "A few financial concerns."

"Ah, I see." Yang exchanged another glance with Blake. Any "financial concerns" from the Schnee Company did not bode well for any of them.

Weiss shifted again. "I've been consulting a few environmental groups in the area to help cover costs but they can't help enough to even make a dent in our excavation and landscaping expenses."

Yang's eyebrows shot up. "You've been, uh, consulting?"

"Yes." Weiss sighed shakily. "I'm asking for money when I'm CEO of Vale's biggest company by a wide margin. All because I can't manage my own board." She sighed again and rubbed her left temple.

"You're doing the best you can!" Ruby encouraged. She glued herself to Weiss' side.

"You really are," Yang agreed. She hadn't expected this level of commitment from someone like Weiss. "You know I can come with you when you do this sorta stuff, right?"

Weiss' expression suggested that she did not know that.

"You're doing us a huge favor here, it's literally the least I can do," Yang continued with a smile.

"Oh, well. Thank you," Weiss said stiffly.

"No, thank you. Seriously, you've gotta be MVP of the world right now." Admiration was all over Yang's face, and Weiss looked thoroughly embarrassed.

"Don't be daft, this is my job," she scoffed.

"Nice try Ice Queen. But we can all see you're melting."

Weiss sputtered a protest while Ruby "awwww'd" loudly.

"Okay listen, I gotta run to a council session downstairs, but why don't you go over everything with Blake?" Yang started towards the door. "She knows everything about our financial projections so I'm sure she can answer any questions you have!"

Blake looked between Yang and Weiss. She would much rather accompany Yang than spend more time with Weiss Schnee. But Yang was already halfway into the hallway.

"Alright I'll check in with both of you later! See ya!" Her blonde head disappeared from view a second later.

Weiss sighed again. "I suppose I should have checked the council schedule. Oh well, you'll have to do," she said, nodding in Blake's general direction.

Blake's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Okay, you two can use the conference room!" Ruby said, chipper as ever. "You don't need me, right? I was going to meet Penny for lunch, if that's okay."

Weiss gave her a gentle smile. "Of course it's okay Ruby. Go ahead, I'll see you later." Ruby smiled back and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before taking her leave.

Blake looked around surreptitiously. Jaune and Pyrrha weren't here, Qrow and Yang were down in the council chambers, and Ruby was already heading out of the door. That meant that she was fully alone with Weiss Schnee. Great.

They moved silently to the conference room, both subtlety trying to size up the other. Blake took her usual spot and Weiss hesitated for a half second before sitting down next to her. She opened her shoulder bag and pulled out three white folders, each emblazoned with a large Schnee Company logo in blue. She cleared her throat.

"This is the information pertaining to the originally factory proposal, which was approved by our board unanimously." She tapped a finger on one of the folders.

"And this is for the factory Yang suggested." She tapped another folder. "Which as you know involves moving things...underground." Her nose wrinkled at the word.

Blake said nothing, waiting for her to continue to her point.

"Because of the high cost of excavating such a large site, your proposal is about 10% more expensive than the one that has been approved." Weiss looked at her expectantly.

"...okay?" Blake blinked at her. They had already discussed the additional costs. "The tourism enhancement should help make up-"

"That's the problem," Weiss cut in. "It should make up the difference, but projections for these sort of things are too shaky for my shareholders to rely on." She tapped a finger rapidly on the folder. "I have to promise them equal or greater profit for the same cost, or this will never get approved and I'll lose everything."

Blake maintained steady eye contact. Weiss wasn't being dramatic about the stakes.

"Okay," she said again. "So that's why you're trying to find someone else to help with funding?" Weiss nodded.

"Hmm." Blake pulled out a folder of her own and rifled through it. "There are some tax exemptions that you can take advantage of for going the eco-factory route. And the solar panels on the above-ground part of the building will reduce lifetime energy costs..projections for that are pretty accurate."

Weiss took the documents handed her way. "I have to find millions of dollars out of this?" It was more of a complaint than a question.

"Let's look through everything again together," Blake suggested. Weiss looked exhausted by the prospect, but she nodded.

An hour later, the exhaustion hadn't diminished in the slightest. The conference room was a beautiful disaster, with semi-organized papers and folders spread over every inch of the table. The whiteboard was covered in lists of expenses, funding sources, and financial calculations. Blake and Weiss stood side by side, staring at their color-coded columns of words and numbers.

"At least it looks nice," Blake commented. She wasn't even being sarcastic - Weiss had to be the most organized person she had ever met.

"It's terrible." Weiss' eyebrows were furrowed, as they had been for the past 45 minutes. "The upfront costs are way too high even with the later benefits. Those greedy bastards won't want to wait 10 years for their profits!"

Blake had to restrain herself from gaping at Weiss' language. "Is that how you always speak about your board members?"

Weiss ignored her comment. "We need a multi-million dollar donor for this to even be feasible." She sank down into one of the chairs, looking close to tears.

"Um..." Blake had no idea how to respond to a clearly distraught Weiss. Where was Ruby when she needed her? She gingerly pulled over her own chair and sat beside Weiss.

"It'll be okay Weiss," Blake began. She was rewarded for her efforts with a highly suspicious side-eye. "Seriously, it's okay. If this doesn't work out...well, we all know how hard you tried. Maybe we can re-visit some of the other factory options. And if those don't work out either...that's also okay."

Weiss exhaled through her nose. "You say that. But would Yang say the same? And what about Ruby?" Her voice had a distinct warble on the last word.

Blake stared at her face while Weiss, in turn, stared at the floor. "You-do you think that if this doesn't work out Ruby will hate you or something?"

"Yes!" Weiss shifted her gaze to stare at the ceiling. "Hate may be a strong word. Perhaps 'resent.' Or 'begrudge.' "

"Weiss, Ruby would never 'begrudge' you for this. And neither would Yang! They're your friends." Blake hesitantly placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder. "And so am I."

Weiss finally made eye contact, and her blue eyes looked damp with tears that she was holding back. "It's not fair," Weiss said. "We deserve to have this park. Everybody deserves it!"

"I know," Blake said with a quiet sigh. "I wish I could be your multi-million dollar donor, but unfortunately being a journalist isn't the most profitable profession."

Suddenly, Weiss sat up perfectly straight, snapping her head sideways to look at Blake sharply. "What did you just say?"

"That I don't have millions of dollars?" Blake offered.

"I'm the CEO of the Schnee Company," Weiss stated. Her eyes were clear and piercing, any trace of the tears long gone.

"Really? I had no idea, you should've mentioned."

Weiss gave her an intense glare. "What I'm TRYING to say," she continued. "Is that this is my first year as CEO, and I barely feel like I'm CEO, but on paper that's what I am. Which means that's the salary I'll be getting. Which means..."

Blake's mouth fell open. "What? You can't do that!"

"You know I've really gotten to hate it when people tell me I can't do things." Weiss' expression was stubbornly set. "Let's see..." she grabbed a calculator and typed rapidly, then smiled. "All I have to do is not take a salary for the next two years and we're set! I can't believe it took me so long to think of this."

"Are you insane?" Blake's mouth was still hanging open.

"Why is it insane?" Weiss demanded. "You just said that you would do the same thing if you had the money."

"I-you weren't supposed to take that seriously!"

Weiss shrugged nonchalantly. "Well that's too bad then."

Blake's eyes were practically bugging out of her skull. "Weiss, how are you going to survive for two years with no income?"

Another shrug. "I have savings. I'll move into a cheap apartment. I can figure something out."

Blake blinked, trying desperately to process whatever the hell was going on. "You don't have to do this," she said finally.

"No, but I'm going to." Weiss' expression was as steely and determined as ever. "I'm sick and tired of being my father's puppet." She clenched her fists.

"You know, ever since I was a child, all I wanted to do was reclaim the Schnee name and make our company something to be proud of - something striving for more than just profits. This is my chance to do that! And I won't give up."

Blake leaned back in her chair, taking in her impassioned speech. "If the board votes you out..."

"If they do then I'll deal with it. You can't stop me from doing this, and neither can Yang." Weiss' determination was admittedly impressive, and Blake felt a sudden rush of affection towards the other woman.

"Oh, don't worry, we wouldn't dream of it." Blake gave her a smile. "I actually think you might be the most stubborn of all of us."

Weiss scoffed but smiled back. "Of course I am! Not even a contest." She stood up and started collecting her items. "I'll start working on a proposal and get ready to float the idea to the board."

Blake stood up too. "We have your back." Weiss gave her a nod as she gathered up the last of her folders and started towards the door.

"Weiss?"

The Schnee CEO turned around, and to the surprise of them both, Blake pulled her into a hug.

"Excuse me! Who gave you permission to touch?" Weiss sounded aghast, although she didn't pull away.

Blake pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "I'm saying thank you. Do I need permission to hug a friend?"

Weiss tensed up at the word. "Ugh, stop calling me that. We're acquaintances at best."

Blake raised her other eyebrow, eliciting another scoff from Weiss. But despite her best efforts at fake annoyance, a soft smile gave her away.

 **AN: Just saying, I would die for Weiss Schnee.**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading! Thursday is my new tentative posting date btw :)**


	18. Chapter 18

The council chambers were packed. Or at least, they were packed relative to what Yang was used to - AKA, there were more seats taken than empty. And she assumed that they weren't all there to hear the Council talk about rebranding Vale to up tourism, or to hear Port haranguing everybody on why Public Works funding should be cut. The smattering of reporters certainly weren't there for the regular council session. Yang gulped and gave Qrow a look. He was looking even more disgruntled than normal.

She sighed and took her seat at the front while he selected a spot in the middle of the audience, probably so he could eavesdrop on any conversations people were having about Yang.

"I move to call this session of the Vale City Council to order," Glynda stated.

"Seconded," Ironwood said.

"Very well, our first order of business is to receive an update on recent rebranding attempts for the city of Vale with an emphasis on drawing increased tourist activity. Councilman Ironwood, would you - I'm sorry, is there a question?"

One of the gathered citizens had already raised a hand. He was young-ish looking, although his hairline was already receding pretty severely, revealing a shiny and vaguely sweaty head. The man cleared his throat and stood up, running a hand through the little of his hair that was left.

"I was wondering - and I'm sure many other people here are also wondering - about the, uh..." The wheels in his head were almost visibly grinding as he tried to find the right phrasing. Yang struggled mightily to keep her face neutral. She glanced at Qrow, who wasn't even trying to hide his grimace.

"Well, I'll just get to it. Councilwoman Xiao Long: are the rumors true? Are you a...lesbian?" His voice got weirdly hushed on the last word, like he didn't want anybody to hear. Which was stupid considering he was literally speaking to all of them. Yang inhaled deeply.

"Sir, this is a council session," Glynda said before anybody else could react. "Idle gossip and tabloid stories aren't welcome here." Her tone was brusque as always.

"Yes, I agree," Oobleck chimed in. "If you have any questions or concerns about council matters or city matters, we would be more than happy to discuss them. However, the council chambers are no place for rumors such as these. We hope that you'll understand."

Ironwood and even Port nodded along to his words. Yang slowly exhaled the breath that she was holding, feeling a surge of affection for her fellow council members.

"Mmkay, yeah but isn't it, like, kind of a city manner or whatever?" A woman from the other side of the room entered the fray. She was loudly smacking on a wad of chewing gum as she spoke..

"Uh, a city MATTER I think she means," Mr. Receding Hairline corrected.

"I fail to see why my colleague's sexuality is relevant," Ironwood responded stiffly. The chewing gum woman scoffed while receding hairline guy made a face and sat back down.

"Now, if that's all, I believe we can continue with our work," Port said.

"Not so fast!" Another man stood up. He was wearing a baseball cap over his exceptionally thick eyebrows, and he looked quite a bit angrier than bubblegum or hairline. "How come all of you are answering, but she won't say anything?" He pointed aggressively at Yang.

Ironwood openly glowered at him. "We've addressed this, and we're moving on," he stated firmly.

"No, it's okay, Councilman," Yang cut in. It was becoming clear that they weren't going to get anything done until she said something. "Sir, the rumors you've been hearing are totally baseless. My opposition knows that they're losing, so they've started making up drama as we get closer to election day."

"So are you denying the rumors?" a new voice spoke up. The reporters had been lurking like vultures, waiting for Yang to make a statement so they could attack. This one was a young woman with thick-rimmed glasses and piercing eyes.

Yang picked up her pen (well, Blake's pen) and tapped it lightly on the table. "No comment," she said.

"So you're NOT denying the rumors?" the reporter pressed.

Yang groaned and subtly looked at Qrow. He was staring at her intensely, then raised his eyebrows briefly and gave her a look to convey...something. Yang had no idea what exactly.

The reporter was also looking at her intently. So was eyebrow dude, and the gum lady, hairline man, plus every other person in the room.

"The rumors are unsubstantiated nonsense," Yang said finally. "I'm not dignifying them with a response."

"So you're a gay?" the eyebrow man asked.

"No!" Yang spoke without thinking. Her next breath got caught in her throat. Everybody was staring even more intensely, waiting for her to follow up. It felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest, leaving behind a bloody mess. But honestly the "bloody mess" outcome was starting to look pretty nice to her.

She glanced at Qrow again, whose mouth was slightly ajar. Her mouthed one word to her: "commit." Yang sighed. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized that there was only one way out of this situation.

"No," she said again, calmly this time. "While I support people of all sexual orientations, the rumors you've been hearing are false."

There was a sort of collective sigh as the tension in the room suddenly subsided. Qrow was making one of his typical inscrutable expressions, leaving Yang wondering if she had made the right decision. It definitely didn't feel right.

Luckily nobody felt the need to ask any follow up questions, and several people left the room, seemingly satisfied. The council continued with their session, although Yang found it hard to focus. She had spent so many years hiding her sexuality, and yet this was the first time that she had to lie about it so directly.

"Fucking Cinder," Yang growled under her breath.

"Do you have a comment, Councilwoman?" Glynda asked.

"Oh, no I don't. Sorry." Yang sat back in her seat and continued her fuming in silence. She kept tapping Blake's pen against the desk, mostly to stop herself from picking at her nails in frustration. Even with all the news coverage, she'd thought that most sane people would ignore the rumors, and certainly that they wouldn't show up en masse to a damn council meeting. And she couldn't believe that they had successful goaded her into an outright denial.

Once the meeting was finally over, Yang made a beeline to Qrow, who was standing near the door with his arms crossed.

"Are you angry?" Yang asked.

Qrow gave her a quizzical look. "Nah, not at all. You did a good job."

"Oh, well thanks!" Yang tried to smile. "Your expressions are kinda hard to read. I mean, except for annoyance, that one we all know pretty well. Oh hey - there it is now!"

Qrow chuckled. "But seriously, this is a really tough situation, and you're handling it well."

"Whoa calm down Uncle, you're gonna blow through your monthly compliment quota all at once there." Yang managed a more genuine smile, but it dropped off her face quickly. "I don't know, it felt really weird."

"How so, Councilwoman?" Yang recognized the smug, condescending voice instantly.

"Why are you even here?" she demanded, turning to face Mercury. He gave her a nasty grin.

"Who, me? I'm just an active citizen here to observe local politics in action! Although I must admit I've also found the recent scandal to be pretty intriguing." His grin got even wider, if that was possible.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Yang said bluntly.

"And aren't you also intrigued? Wouldn't you like to know where my lovely campaign manager got her information?"

Yang's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Mercury rubbed his chin, pretending to think. "Let's see...Ms. Fall just so happened to be looking into some of the organizations over at Haven University, and imagine her shock when she found a certain Yang Xiao Long on the member list for a certain Gay-Straight Alliance."

Yang's mouth fell open. "Wha-that member list isn't supposed to be public!"

"Oh it's not," Mercury replied. "Thankfully our new aide Adam - he's over there by the door, give him a wave! - is quite the gifted hacker."

Qrow looked between Mercury and the red-haired man at the door. He scowled, then placed a protective hand on her shoulder. "Yang, it's time to go."

Yang ignored him. "Do you people have no morals at all?" she aimed at Mercury. "Anyway, the GSA proves nothing, idiot."

Mercury laughed out loud. "Oh goodness, what a biting insult!" He exchanged a look with Adam. "Well, that may be so. But we've also been noticing your rather ~cozy relationship with your campaign aide. Blake Belladonna, isn't that right? Adam here knows all about her."

Yang had always thought that the expression "seeing red" was meant to be figurative, but in that moment she could swear that everything in her vision turned into a reddish blur. Her hands clenched into fists and her nails dug viciously into her palms.

"Stay _away_ from her." Her voice was low and dangerous, and Qrow's firm grip on her shoulder was the only thing keeping her from physically attacking Mercury.

"Oh don't fret about it Yangy, we won't drop that rumor until the week before the election. Nooo, next up is putting some spotlight on your sister's relationship with Weiss Schnee. Who would've thought that the whole family was gay? And more importantly, are you whoring out your sister to try to get a deal for Beacon Park with-"

Qrow couldn't move fast enough to stop Yang from grabbing Mercury by his shirt collar and yanking him forward.

"I swear to god..." Yang snarled, torn between punching him in the face and kneeing him in the balls.

He laughed again, although it was somewhat strained sounding. "What are you gonna do? Hit me? Please do, that'll be more great scandal material!"

"Yang, let him go," Qrow said steadily.

Yang stared at his pathetic face for a couple more seconds, before acquiescing and roughly shoving him away. Mercury stumbled slightly but quickly recovered.

"Okay, good talk," he said with a grin. He straightened his shirt and cleared his throat. "Look, all you gotta do to stop us from releasing all these stories to the unwashed masses is withdraw from the election. Then we'll leave you alone for good."

"Blackmail is illegal," Qrow growled at him.

"Mm, good point buddy, but you've got no witnesses." Mercury gestured to the long-empty council chambers. "So, whattdya say?"

"Fuck you," Yang said.

"Hurtful!" Mercury put a hand over his heart and gasped. "Why don't you think it over? I'll look forward to our debate in the meantime. Let's get outta here, Adam." The aide followed him obediently out the door, but not before shooting Yang and Qrow a smug look.

Yang stood in place, physically shaking with anger. She couldn't believe anybody, even Mercury Black, could be enough of an asshole to go after Blake and Ruby. Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Yang started walking briskly to the door of the chambers.

"You okay?" Qrow asked quietly, falling into step beside her. Yang didn't trust herself to speak without screaming out a long list of obscenities. She just shook her head.

"We'll figure something out, firecracker. I'm not letting him get away with this, I promise."

Yang sighed heavily as they climbed the stairs back up to the office. "Thanks. But what are we supposed to do about it?"

"It's not like they have anything that isn't a rumor or irrelevant to your campaign," Qrow said. "Just try not to worry about it for now - focus on the debate, okay?"

"Okay," Yang replied, running her hands through her hair in agitation. She paused in front of the door to their offices, inside of which she could see Ruby and Blake standing together, talking and smiling about something. Yang swallowed to try to banish the sudden lump that had formed in her throat. The thought of either of them getting caught in the crossfire of the election was almost too much for her to handle.

Ruby's head turned slightly and she caught sight of Yang and Qrow out of the corner of her eye, waving eagerly for them to come in.

"We have great news!" Ruby began as soon as they had entered the main office room. Then she saw the expression on Yang's face. "Oh...what happened?"

Yang took a deep breath. "It's okay, it's just...people are taking the rumor more seriously than I thought. I ended up having to deny it. And..." she trailed off. Ruby was waiting for her to continue, eyes wide with concern. Yang looked away from her, locking eyes with Blake.

"Mercury Black showed up and made a few empty threats." Qrow mercifully stepped in to fill the silence.

"What sort of threats?" Blake asked.

"He wants to go after Ruby and Weiss' relationship. Something about me using it as leverage for Beacon Park," Yang said. "And he - uh, he thinks that there's something going on between you and me too."

Blake winced. Ruby's entire face turned red.

"Obviously he's just trying to rattle Yang," Qrow explained calmly. "Let's not panic or do anything stupid. He's a liar trying to bluff us into making a mistake."

"A-are you sure, Uncle Qrow?" Ruby sounded shaky. "Because Weiss and I can tone it down maybe?"

Yang's fists clenched again. "No Ruby, I can't let him control your life."

Qrow raised an eyebrow. "It's not a bad idea. They can just tone things down for the next month and then the election will be over."

Yang scowled at him. "But that's bullshit! They shouldn't have to hide because my opponent is a homophobic piece of crap."

"No arguments on that." He raised his hands in surrender.

"Yang, it's okay." Ruby gave her a smile. "We don't mind if it'll make things easier for you."

"See, everything's alright," Qrow gave Yang a reassuring nod.

"It'll be okay," Blake agreed soothingly, sensing that Yang needed her input.

Yang frowned. "God, I hate him. And that Adam guy. And everybody else on his stupid campaign."

Ruby nodded sagely to show her agreement.

"Adam?" Blake's voice sounded weirdly muffled, and her face was pale. Yang gave her a confused look.

"Yeah, he's some Black campaign aide that's been digging up all this dirt. You okay, Blake?" She didn't look okay, judging by the look on her face. If anything, she looked ready to faint. Yang took a step towards her and lightly touched her arm. "Do you know him? What's wrong?"

Blake jolted, like she hadn't expected the contact. She pulled away, and as she did Yang noticed that her hands were shaking.

"It's fine, I just...need to sit down." She darted around Yang and half-ran towards their shared office.

"Blake!" Yang called after her. There was no response as the office door shut heavily behind her. Yang's eyes narrowed and she started after her.

"Maybe that's not the best idea, kiddo."

Yang brushed him out of the way and marched to the door, barging into the room to see Blake sitting at her own desk, holding her head in her hands.

"Yang, can we talk about this later?"

"No, we can't." Yang approached her fearlessly, coming to a stop right beside the desk. "You've been avoiding this for too long already. Please? I just want to know what's going on, Blakey."

Blake raised her head from her hands slowly. Yang took the chance to cautiously brush back her hair, gently stroking the side of Blake's face. Blake sighed and closed her eyes, leaning into Yang's hand.

"Blake?"

Her eyes fluttered back open. Yang was staring at her, face full of innocent concern.

Blake sighed again. "Now isn't a good time for this, Yang. I promise it's nothing that I can't handle, and you don't need the stress of it right now."

Yang's frown deepened. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Like I haven't been stressed out worrying about you for the past two days."

"You don't need to worry!" Blake protested. "Please don't worry about me."

Yang made a face. "What's with the martyr stuff? Blake, I WANT to worry about you. And I want to help you if I can. Why won't you let me?"

"You can't help," Blake mumbled. "And you don't want the extra stress, trust me."

"Yes, I do! Now why can't you tell me what's wrong?" Yang asked again. She was starting to get frustrated.

"I don't want to," Blake responded firmly. "And you should respect that."

"Wha- I do respect that, but you can't bottle stuff in like this!"

"It's not really your business how I deal with things."

"It kinda is though?"

"Why? You're not my therapist, Yang." Blake crossed her arms defensively, breaking eye contact in favor of staring intensely at the carpet.

Yang furrowed her brow. "I know, and I'm not trying to be! But I am your girlfriend."

"Barely," Blake said under her breath.

Yang's mouth dropped open. "Blake, what the fuck? Where is this even coming from?" Blake kept her eyes down and stayed silent. "All I want is to know what's going on with you!"

"Well, I don't want to talk about it," Blake repeated. "I'm sorry Yang, but I need you to drop it. We'll talk another time." She sounded genuinely apologetic, but Yang wasn't about to let it go. Maybe it was the stress of the council session, or the confrontation with Mercury Black, or the fact that Blake had just relegated their relationship to something that was "barely" happening.

"Tough luck."

Blake finally looked up to glare at her. "I think it's obvious that Adam and I have a history, and I'm sorry if I don't want to get into that with you right now." This apology sounded much less sincere.

"A history? What's that mean?"

Blake groaned. "Stop asking questions! Give me some space. _Please_."

"I gave you space! For two days!" Yang felt her anger flare back up. "You know what this feels like to me, right? It's like you don't trust me. Maybe because we're only 'barely' dating." She crossed her arms and stared daggers at Blake.

"You know I didn't mean that."

"No, I don't! Because you clearly won't trust me with anything. How am I supposed to be here for you if you won't open up?" Her voice was starting to fray.

Blake stood up, her expression dark and pained. "Don't do that, Yang."

"Then tell me what's wrong!"

"No!" Blake snapped. "I'm not dragging you of all people into this. So stop prying!"

"I'm not prying, I'm HELPING."

"Really? You seriously think you're helping?" Blake's eyes were starting to brim with tears.

"I'm TRYING to help - you won't fucking let me!" Yang yelled at her. "And don't you think that maybe I deserve an explanation for why you won't let me make physical contact anymore?"

Blake winced but didn't back down. "If you could just be patient then this wouldn't be a problem! And you need to stop yelling, people are outside."

Yang's frustration boiled completely over. "FUCK, Blake. I just don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE making it a big deal!" Blake broke her yelling rule on that one.

"Oh geez Blake, I'm SO SORRY that I care about you!"

"Good." Blake's tears spilled over, flowing freely down her face. "This was a mistake."

"What? What was a mistake? Or can you not tell me THAT either?"

"Taking this job," Blake said through her tears. "I...I quit!"

"You - what?" Yang asked in a much quieter voice. The harsh edge to her voice was gone in a second, replaced by confusion and hurt.

"You heard me." Blake wiped at her eyes, storming out past a completely frozen Yang. The door slammed shut.

 **AN: Yikes...I hate writing arguments. Seriously, kinda fun in a weird way but mostly awful.**

 **Anyway, thanks so much for reading and pls drop a review if you're feeling it!**


	19. Chapter 19

Ruby hovered nervously beside the door, glancing at Pyrrha for support. She responded with a nod of encouragement, gesturing towards the heavy wooden door. Ruby reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing over the door handle. Behind the door was her sister. In fact, her sister had been behind the door all day, steadfastly refusing to speak or interact with anybody. But the debate was set to start in an hour, and someone had to get Yang out of her office and onto the stage. Blake would have been an ideal choice, but of course she was the cause of Yang's self-imposed isolation. Meanwhile Qrow had already tried to coax Yang out three times, and each time had been quickly sent scurrying back out of the office, muttering obscenities under his breath. After which Jaune had volunteered his services, but Pyrrha recommended that Ruby try first.

So here she was, more anxious about an interaction with her sister than she had even been in her entire life. Ruby took a deep breath, steeled herself, and opened the door.

Yang was slumped over her desk, her arms crossed and resting on the wooden surface with her head down on top of them. She didn't even react to the sound of the door opening and then shutting behind Ruby.

"Yang?" Clearly she had been expecting another Qrow visit, since her head jerked up at the voice. She fixed Ruby with a steady stare.

"What're you doing here, Rubes? Go back outside, I'll be there in a minute." Yang looked back down at the grain patterns of her desk. "Despite what Qrow thinks, I won't be late."

"Oh...we weren't sure if you were still going," Ruby said hesitantly. She shifted her weight awkwardly.

Yang sighed. "I'm not quitting on this now." For a second, there was a glimmer of passion, like she was almost back to her former self. It faded quickly though. "I just need a minute."

Ruby hesitated for a second longer, then rushed forward to Yang's side, wrapping her arms around her tightly. Yang leaned into the embrace, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I'm okay, Ruby," she whispered.

"Are you sure?" Ruby pulled back to look at her. "Oh, Yang you're crying!"

She was right. Yang laughed humorlessly and rubbed her eyes. "That's alright, it's been happening off and on today."

Ruby softly kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry, Yang. Is there anything I can do?"

"Make her pick up her phone," Yang mumbled. She sighed and finally stood up from her desk. "It's alright, I'm ready to go."

Ruby looked hesitant. "Do you want to talk?"

A firm head shake. "Even if I wanted to, we don't have time. It probably wouldn't look great if I showed up to this thing late, huh?"

"Probably not," Ruby replied with an attempted smile.

Yang started towards the door, then stopped abruptly. Ruby crashed directly into her back.

"Yang?"

She reached back over her desk, her hand hovering for a moment above a fancy-looking silver and black pen. After vacillating for a couple seconds, Yang grabbed the item and continued wordlessly out of the door.

She was similarly silent as she and Qrow clambered into the backseat of Ruby's car, and throughout the car ride, even as Qrow continued to remind her of her main talking points around each issue. Ruby watched apprehensively from the rearview mirror. Yang looked nothing like her usual fiery self - she looked completely extinguished. Ruby pulled into a parking spot and Yang mechanically exited the car, staring down at the ground.

Ruby looked on, feeling an emotion that she felt only on rare occasions: dejection. It was kinda disconcerting. But watching her depressed big sister trudge aimlessly into one of the most important nights of her life like a zombie was making it hard to be optimistic. Qrow guided Yang around to the back of the building while Ruby hugged them both and then made her way in through the front. The hall was already pretty full, but it didn't matter since the campaign had several seats reserved in the first row.

Ruby walked down the rows slowly, listening intently to get a feel for the energy of the audience. Qrow had coached her on this before the first debate, as a way to roughly gauge public opinion about Yang and her opposition. Ruby caught several conversations about the whole "Yang is gay" thing, but most people seemed either curious or critical of the Black campaign. The crowd was also on the younger side, which was also to Yang's benefit.

Ruby nervously took her seat. Even with a relatively supportive crowd, Yang was in no state to debate with Mercury Black right now. But obviously there was no choice. Ruby leaned back in her seat and pulled out her phone. She pulled up Blake's contact and tapped to start a new text. Then she stopped, her fingers hovering over the phone screen but not moving.

She wasn't totally sure what she was doing. What was she supposed to say? "Heeeey Blake! I hope you're doing okay but I feel like you might not be after the whole you-and-Yang-screaming-at-each-other-and-then-you-storming-out thing from yesterday. Yang isn't doing okay either - you two should talk to each other! Okay, thanks!"

Ruby closed the messaging app. It's not like she knew what Blake was thinking - what if she just made things worse? She checked the time then slid her phone back into her pocket morosely. Only a few minutes until the debate was set to start.

Qrow appeared from a door to the right of the stage a minute later and took his seat next to her.

"How's she doing?" Ruby asked quietly.

Qrow gave her a glance out of the corner of his eye. "Not great, but she's tough enough to get through this," he answered confidently. Ruby turned to look at him. He seemed calm, but she could see the concern on his face.

He turned to her and gave her a sideways smile. "Stop worrying, kiddo. She can do it." He ruffled her hair, eliciting protests immediately.

"Hey! You're messing it up!"

Qrow rolled his eyes. "You kids spend way too much effort on hair."

"Oh yeah, and I guess yours just magically arranges itself into those spiky things every morning?" Ruby was smiling now.

"Yep, that's exactly it. How'd you guess?"

Further banter was cut off by the lights dimming as Lisa Lavender got ready to introduce the candidates for debate number two. The crowd applauded as Yang and Mercury entered the stage and took their spots behind their respective podiums. Ruby scrutinized Yang's easy smile. She looked surprisingly normal, although her eyes were uncharacteristically dull.

Yang got the first opening statement, and as she gave her practiced speech Ruby couldn't help but feel like it was lacking her usually enthusiasm, like she was just going through the motions. But the crowd didn't seem to notice, and Qrow looked reasonably satisfied with her performance.

"...and those are just a few of my ideas to make Vale an even better place to live in the coming years. I promise each and every one of you that I'll fight my hardest for you, for your families, and for this city. Thank you so much for tuning in tonight!"

The crowd applauded while Mercury readied himself for his own statement.

"Good evening people of Vale! Thank you all for your engagement in our debate tonight - I'm looking forward to getting into the issues. Unlike my opponent, I have a unique understanding of the costs associated with..."

He kept talking, but Ruby's attention was starting to wane. She kept her focus on Yang, who seemed to be listening with a polite and level gaze, even as Mercury started to attack some of her ideas. From her vantage point, Ruby could see Yang's hands behind the podium, which were casually flipping the silver and black pen, spinning it around her fingers like some sort of nervous tick.

"It's clear to see which of the candidates is the best choice for Vale, and I hope that tonight I can convince you all of that fact. Thank you!" Mercury waved and smiled at the audience.

"Thank you both for your statements," Lavender said. "We'll now jump into the question-and-answer portion of the debate. These questions were submitted by our viewers and selected for their relevance to the race thus far. The first question concerns Beacon Park."

"Yikes," Ruby whispered.

"Recent polls have shown that nearly 70% of Vale citizens are opposed to the destruction of Beacon Park for the new Schnee Company factory. This issue has come up numerous times over the course of the mayoral race - how will you address the desires of Vale citizenry with regards to the park?" Mr. Black, you have the first response: your two minutes begins now."

"Thank you, Lisa. It's a great question about an important issue," Mercury began with a toothy smile. "I've already expressed my support of the new Schnee factory, but of course that doesn't mean that I'm ignoring the will of the people. The sad truth is that developments like this are often impossible to avoid. The Schnee company purchased the land containing Beacon Park through reputable means, and they are fully within their rights to build on that land. We all wish that the park could stay, but let's not forget the economic boost that will come from having a large Schnee factory operating in the center of town!"

Mercury paused to flash his teeth again. "In addition, if elected, I am fully committed to using Public Works funding to create a new park elsewhere in Vale. Again, I truly empathize with all of you that are sad to see the park go, but this is a compromise that we must make to ensure our future economic prosperity. It's a hard thing to acknowledge, but I am more than willing to do so - and to be fully honest with you all. On the other hand, my opponent here prefers to make rash and idealistic promises that will, in time, prove her to be a liar. I'm not here to coddle - I'm here to be honest and to find the best, _realistic_ solution available for everybody involved. Thank you."

The crowd cheered loudly as he finished speaking.

"Councilwoman Xiao Long, your response?"

"Thanks, Lisa. You all know how important this issue is to me," Yang began, turning to address the audience directly. "First, I want to say that a couple months ago, I made a promise to every Vale resident that I would save Beacon Park. I will keep that promise, even if I'm not elected mayor." Clapping from the crowd punctuated her statement.

"I am continuing to work with Weiss Schnee and the Schnee Company to find a solution - something that perhaps Mr. Black would call 'idealistic,' but that I _know_ we can make happen. I'm not going to offer a flimsy consolation prize like his 'new park' proposal, which by the way he has never mentioned nor consulted with Public Works about. I'm going to actually work to solve this complicated problem, not offer useless platitudes about realism"

"However, my opponent is actually right about one thing: the factory will be a valuable economic boost for the entire city, and expansion of businesses of all sizes in Vale should be encouraged. But that expansion needs to be responsible - it needs to take into account our environment and our future. I urge you all not to listen to Mr. Black's defeatist attitude. We can and we WILL save Beacon Park!"

More loud cheering. Ruby had to restrain herself from jumping out of her seat and woo-ing in Mercury's sneering face.

"Is that it?" he asked when the audience had quieted down. "You've been talking for months now about your supposed 'solutions' that will magically preserve Beacon Park and also the factory, but I haven't heard anything about them! Strange, isn't it? Almost like Ms. Xiao Long is willing to lie about her progress to get elected."

Yang's eyes narrowed. "I'm not lying. I've met with Weiss Schnee several times to discuss this issue, and we're extremely close to a new proposal for the factory that doesn't sacrifice our park. And if you want documentation of our meetings, why don't you check the security tapes from City Hall? Your campaign seems to like doing that in their spare time."

Many of the younger audience members laughed.

Qrow, on the other hand, grimaced. "Why would you bring that up," he muttered under his breath.

Luckily, Mercury ignored her last comment. "Easy to say that you're close, isn't it? There are many reasons for the CEO of the city's largest company to visit City Hall." His eyes flickered down to Ruby for a second, and a chill ran down her spine at his smirk. Yang noticed the interaction as well, and Ruby saw her fist tighten its grip on her pen.

"You've still provided absolutely no proof that anything has come of these alleged meetings. Why should I believe you? Why should any of us believe you?" He gestured widely at the assembly.

Yang didn't look at him, instead angling her body towards the audience. "I understand that I'm asking for trust while I work on this, and I know that trusting a politician can be difficult. But I'm here asking for your patience. Weiss and I - uh, Ms. Schnee and I will be presenting a new proposal to her board within the next couple weeks."

Ruby inhaled sharply.

"What?" Qrow whispered, not taking his eyes off of Yang.

"It's just...she's not supposed to give them any details. Weiss hasn't been telling her father or board about the meetings or the new proposal. She can lie about why she was at City Hall, but if Yang gives too much information she could get in a lot of trouble..." Ruby fidgeted as she spoke.

"Shit. Does Yang know that?"

"She should." Ruby bit her lip.

"You've done nothing but avoid the question!" Mercury was on the attack. "All of us here are still waiting for any sort of assurance that you're actually doing what you claim that you are. Can you or can you not provide that? And don't lie to us now, Yang."

Yang's grip tightened further, and her hands started shaking slightly with anger. "Well, _Mercury_ , I've actually already gotten an alternative factory idea approved by Weiss Schnee, and I-"

"Sounds like a lie. And a frantic one at that." Mercury's favorite smirk was firmly in place.

"That's not true, and you-"

"What's the so-called "alternative" factory, then?" He leaned forward to jeer at her.

"I, ah, unfortunately I can't-"

"No answer, ladies and gentlemen!"

Yang's face was starting to turn red. Her knuckles were showing white as she clenched her hand tighter onto the pen. Tighter, and tighter.

The crack was nearly inaudible, but Ruby heard it loud and clear. Yang visibly flinched, her eyes briefly flickering down to her right hand, which was now holding two halves of the silver and black pen. It was cleanly fractured through the middle, ink leaking over her palm.

"This is yet another example of how these career politicians lie to and scam their constituents!" Mercury continued peacocking for the audience, not even noticing Yang's shocked expression.

For a terrifying moment Ruby thought that Yang was going to cry right there on the stage, but instead she hastily shoved the pen into her pants pocket and gripped her podium with both hands, glaring at Mercury with white-hot rage.

"It's going UNDERGROUND!" Yang yelled, interrupting his rant. Ruby and Qrow winced in unison.

Mercury looked at her with his mouth hanging open. "What?"

"I have personally developed an alternative eco-factory design, wherein the main factory will exist underground, below Beacon Park," Yang explained in a much calmer tone. "And it's been approved by Ms. Schnee, no big deal." Cheers from the youth crowd punctuated her statement.

"Yaaaaang, noooooo," Ruby whispered to no one in particular.

"Well, there's no way THAT could possibly work," Mercury scoffed, but he looked like he had lost his footing.

"Oh but it has, and it will," Yang shot back. "This is what happens when public officials actually put in the work to find useful compromise," she continued, addressing the audience. "And I promise that, as mayor, I'll continue to put in the time and effort to make Vale a better place. I won't give up or sell out - I'm here to represent YOU, and I can and will make things like this happen."

"And that's all the time that we have on this question," Lisa Lavender cut in. Both Mercury and Yang looked perfectly happy to move on. "The next question is about mayoral communication. One criticism of the current City of Vale government is a lack of connectedness between Vale residents and their politicians and lawmakers. As mayor, how do you plan on fostering an environment where the concerns of citizens can be heard and addressed? Councilwoman Xiao Long, you have the first response."

Ruby exhaled. This question wasn't bad, and Yang had all her ideas and arguments prepared.

"So, how bad was that?" Qrow asked quietly, relaxing for a moment.

"Weiss won't be happy... And neither will her board when they find out. Or her dad." Ruby went back to biting her lip.

"I see." That was all he said in response.

The remaining questions of the debate were mercifully easier, not that it could've gotten much harder for Yang than Beacon Park. Ruby felt a wave of relief rush over her as Mercury wrapped up his closing statement and the debate ended without further incident.

While the crowd was applauding for them both one more time, she and Qrow swiftly got up and made their way to the stage. Yang and Mercury were shaking hands and forcing cordial smiles. Mercury sauntered off to talk to Cinder and Emerald - they all looked pretty pleased with his showing.

"Yaaaang!" Ruby waved her arms to get her attention. Yang walked over, her fake smile fading away.

"Hey. Should we go?" She sounded exhausted.

Qrow nodded and the three of them left quietly from the back exit.

"I'm sorry," Yang said softly.

"Huh? Why?" Ruby asked. They were walking across the parking lot now.

"That Beacon Park stuff, I shouldn't have said that. And just in general." She sighed and put her hand in her pocket, the one with the broken pieces of the pen. "I sucked."

"N-no you didn't!" Ruby protested. Qrow said nothing. "It'll be okay!"

Yang came to a stop beside the car and gave Ruby a pained look. "I screwed everything up."

"HEY!" Ruby whirled around. A very angry and very quickly approaching Weiss was barreling her way across the parking lot towards them like an incoming missile. She has wearing a long, silvery gown and heels, her outfit of the night for a benefit she had been attending. Something about the way she was striding towards them, her dress streaming out behind her and her eyes shooting daggers, made Ruby lose all capacity for coherent thought.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Weiss came to a stop directly in front of Yang and jabbed her index finger at her.

"Okay, calm down," Qrow stepped in.

"Excuse me?" Weiss shot him a bonus glare, then went back to glaring at Yang. "I've spent tonight dodging calls from my father and my board members about why a certain Yang Xiao Long is claiming that I've been meeting with her behind their backs - and that I've approved some harebrained underground factory proposal, no less!"

"Um, Weiss," Ruby squeaked out. She was fully ignored by everybody present.

"I know, I'm sorry," Yang mumbled, looking at her feet.

"Well sorry doesn't help! I just KNOW my father is already contacting them all and convincing them to vote me out immediately. How am I going to pitch this if I don't have a job?"

"I..." Yang bowed her head further.

Weiss stopped suddenly, lowering her accusing finger and tilting her head up at Yang. "What's wrong with you?" She sounded confused and maybe even concerned.

Yang looked up for the first time, and even though it was dark outside, they all clearly saw the tears in her eyes.

"I'm walking home," she said shakily to Ruby and Qrow. "I'm sorry, Weiss." Then she turned hastily and started speedwalking, almost running, towards the street.

"Oh, Jesus H Christ." Qrow rubbed his face in exasperation and started after her.

"What just happened?" Weiss asked, turning to Ruby in confusion.

"She and Blake had a fight. A biiiig one."

"Oh...I didn't know." She shifted awkwardly. "Did they break up?"

Ruby shook her head. "I'm not sure. But Blake quit, I guess? I mean, she didn't show up today."

Weiss sighed deeply and closed her eyes. "I was so harsh."

"You didn't do anything wrong! You didn't know, and you're right that she shouldn't have said that." Ruby reached out to rub Weiss' arm.

Weiss groaned and leaned against the car, impatiently kicking off her heels. "Tonight has been such a catastrophe. Having to suck up to all those rich idiots and then coming here and acting like a bitch to someone who actually doesn't deserve it."

Ruby made an uncomfortable noise. "Don't call yourself that! Yang's gonna be fine. And you're, like, the kindest and most generous person I know."

Before Ruby could react, Weiss launched herself forward into her chest, nearly bowling her over.

"Whoa!" Ruby stumbled backwards but managed to keep on her feet. Weiss wrapped her arms around Ruby's waist tightly, burying her face in her neck.

"Awwww, Weiss! You're adorable! But give me a warning next time," Ruby laughed.

"I'm sorry. I really needed to hear that today... I missed you." Weiss' voice was muffled since she was essentially talking into Ruby's shirt, but she heard every word regardless.

"Weiss..." Ruby held her tight and lightly kissed the side of her head. She smiled brightly. "I love it when you're nice. Nice-Weiss!"

"Shut up."

"I love you."

Weiss pulled back an inch to stare at her blankly. "Seriously? I just told you to shut up, and that's what you say?" Her face was turning pink.

"What? I love you independently of you telling me to shut up." Ruby gave her another blinding smile.

"You've never said that before."

"That I love you? Oh..." Ruby felt her face heating up as well. "I - I thought it so many times that I didn't even realize - ah, um, well you don't have to say it back! It's okay if you don't want to! I won't be mad, or sad - um, maybe a little sad, but that's not your fault!"

"Stop talking." Weiss kissed her cheek, and her lips felt soft and cool against Ruby's burning skin. "Obviously, I love you too. You dunce." Ruby grinned like she had just won a million dollars.

"You know, I think I can help you save this night."

"It's not such a bad night," Weiss replied, trying and failing to hide her smile. "But what did you have in mind?"

"Well, after we check on Yang, we go to my place. And then..." Ruby paused for dramatic emphasis.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Get on with it."

"Four words for ya." She took Weiss' face in her hands and kissed her nose. "Wine, Disney movies, cuddling. Yes?"

"That was technically five words," Weiss said.

Ruby frowned in concentration, trying to remember how many words she had said.

"Don't pull a muscle. What movie are we watching?"

"So you are coming over!" Ruby cheered, restraining herself from jumping up and down. "Umm, how about Mulan? We haven't watched that one together yet."

"Okay." Weiss grabbed Ruby's shirt with both hands and tugged her into a firm kiss. Ruby responded enthusiastically, sliding her hands down Weiss' back and drawing her in closer.

"What was that for?" Ruby breathed when they pulled apart.

Weiss rested their foreheads together. She was looking down, and Ruby found herself entranced by her eyelashes, and her eyebrows, and that scar...

"For being sweet," Weiss mumbled.

"AWWWWWW!"

"Ugh, and intolerable," she scoffed. Ruby smiled and gently tilted Weiss' chin up with her fingers so she could kiss her again.

Yang wasn't running away. She was just, very calmly, walking away from her problems. At a totally normal pace. She kept her gaze fixed on the sidewalk in front of her, watching the squares and lines flood past.

"Would you slow down?" Qrow called after her.

He had been following her for nearly a minute. But since neither of them felt like running, it was turning into some sort of Olympic fast walking event.

"Leave me alone!" Yang yelled back. It was a good thing that the street was deserted, or someone might call the cops on them. Yang almost chuckled at the thought, but she was way too upset to laugh at anything right now.

"I'm not mad at you! Jesus, stop speeding up!" Qrow finally bit the bullet and broke into a trot. "YANG."

He grabbed her arm to stop her. Yang groaned, turning around to face him. "What? I'm sorry, okay? I sucked tonight and I know that I fucked things up with Weiss, just like I fucked things up with-"

"Blake, yeah I know." He was breathing deeply to catch his breath.

"You knew?"

"Oh come on, do you think I'm stupid or something?" Qrow straightened up and ran a hand through his hair. "I knew what was going on from the day you tried to hide her behind your office door. You realize that I saw her go in there, right?"

Yang blinked at him. "You didn't say anything."

"How was I gonna say anything? I hadn't seen you that happy in years, Yang." He gave her a sad-looking half smile. "Just like I haven't seen you this depressed in years."

Yang grunted. "Is there a point to this conversation?"

"No need to be snippy," Qrow grumbled. He pulled his flask out and took a long drink. "Want some?"

"Actually, yeah." Yang took it and cautiously took a sip, then promptly made a face. "God, what the hell is that?"

"It's damn good whiskey is what it is. What the hell are you kids drinking nowadays?"

"We make mixed drinks. Like a nice screwdriver. Or a strawberry sunrise." Yang own half-smile came out, mostly in response to Qrow's disgusted expression.

"That's a fuckin' travesty," he said, shaking his head. "Okay listen, now that you've calmed down a bit, we need to talk about this debate."

Yang's face dropped instantly. "I don't want to. I know, it was terrible."

"Nah, it wasn't." Qrow scratched at his stubble. "You had some bad moments, and some good ones. You did fine, kiddo, and I mean it."

"But..." she fiddled with the sleeve of her dress shirt.

"You did remarkably well considering all of the, y'know...emotional..." He gestured vaguely. "Turmoil."

"Really? But what about Weiss?" Yang ran a hand down her face.

"Yeah, you screwed up there," Qrow admitted. "But c'mon firecracker, what do we do when we screw up?"

Yang went back to her sleeve and said nothing.

"We take responsibility, and we fix it," he continued, in a surprisingly gentle tone. "As long as you two stay one step ahead of Jacque-ass Schnee, everything will be alright."

"Damn, that was a good pun." Yang looked up at him with a watery smile. "Can I use that?" Qrow chuckled and nodded. They stood together in silence for a few seconds.

"I...I broke Blake's pen." Yang couldn't believe that she was really spilling everything right now, and to Qrow of all people. He furrowed his eyebrows at her.

"Uh, what?"

She bit her lip and fished out the two halves of the pen, which was still spurting out ink.

"What the hell!" Qrow jumped back out of the splash zone. "Why is that in your pocket? It's leaking everywhere, Jesus!"

"Blake gave it to me." Yang gingerly put the pieces back in her pocket, ignoring Qrow's groan and protests about getting ink on her suit. "It was a gift from her father, and it meant a lot to her. She let me borrow it for good luck and I-I ruined it!" More tears were coming now. "She's not talking to me, and now she probably never will! What if she hates me forever, Qrow? What am I going to do?"

"Okay, c'mere." Qrow pulled her into a tight embrace. Yang let her head rest against his chest, crying quietly.

"Women are tough. Hell, relationships of all sorts are tough. But even with my limited exposure, I can tell you right off the bat that there's no way she could hate you." His voice was softer than normal, almost soothing. "Give her some time, and I guarantee you that she'll want to talk. And I doubly guarantee you that she won't be caring about a damn writing utensil."

"You're sure?" Yang asked.

"Absolutely. Trust me, I've had enough relationships to know." He gave her a final squeeze, then pulled away.

"Thanks, Qrow." Yang wiped away her tears with her sleeve. "It's crazy when you're nice to me."

"I'm a nice guy!" Qrow protested. Then his expression grew serious again. "I know I'm tough on you. But hey, you know that I love you, right? You're like my kid, only better 'cause I can say 'fuck' around you."

Yang laughed for the first time all day. "I know. I love you too, Uncle Qrow."

Qrow gave her another lopsided grin. "So, you know what you're gonna do?"

"Fix my mess, then get the girl?"

"There she is."

 **AN: Here's some WR fluff (am I the only one who loves the idea of Ruby ending up significantly taller than Weiss?) and a whole lotta Yangst (sorry)**

 **As always, thanks so much for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

The ceiling had definitely seen better days. There were cracks everywhere, running into each other and forming a hopelessly tangled web of damage. Some parts had the paint chipped off entirely, exposing the drywall underneath. Overall, it was pretty standard for an older apartment building like this one. It really wasn't very interesting. But Blake had been staring at it for the past half an hour. She was leaning back into her couch cushions, head back so she had a direct view of the ceiling.

Blake's phone buzzed. She closed her eyes. It was definitely an asshole move for her to ignore Yang like this. And she hadn't even been able to get herself to the debate last night. All because of Adam. Blake's phone buzzed again and she clenched her fists. How smug would he be, knowing that he was right all along? Nobody would ever love her, not in the least because she was incapable of-

Her phone started screaming out some alternative rock song, and Blake jolted out of her stupor. Blake stared at the offending device for a second. Why was Ruby calling her? She warily picked up the phone and accepted the call.

"...Hello?"

"Hi Blake! Do you mind, um, opening the door?"

"Don't phrase it as a question!" Weiss' voice was muffled but instantly recognizable.

"Are you two...at my apartment?" Blake was really regretting picking up her phone.

"Can you please let us in? Give us like, 10 minutes to talk, okay?"

"Fine." Blake wasn't in the mood to protest. She buzzed them in, and a moment later heard a knock at the door. Blake pulled it open about a foot and regarded them. Ruby looked awkward. Weiss mostly looked pissed. She was also wearing a freshly pressed white and gray skirt suit and heels, Blake assumed for some sort of meeting. Ruby on the other hand was wearing jeans and a hoodie with a puppy on it. It was almost funny to look at them side by side, but Blake was obviously not about to make a joke.

"What is it? I don't work for your sister anymore." Blake couldn't bring herself to say her name.

"I know! We're here as your friends," Ruby replied. She smiled and stepped closer to the door.

"Are you really not going to let us in?" Weiss asked, crossing her arms. Her eyebrows were at their "irritated but not quite ready to punch you" angle.

"Um-you don't have to if you don't want to!" Ruby broke in, earning herself a look from Weiss.

Blake sighed deeply. "Fine." She stepped back and pulled the door open for them.

"Okay, um, so, I'm reaaally trying not to get in your business...but I think that you should talk to Yang," Ruby said once they were all inside. It looked like she had gone with the rip-off-the-bandaid approach.

"As insufferable as the two of you are, you're less insufferable together," Weiss added, haughty as always.

"Is this an intervention or something?" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Sorta," Ruby admitted. "We just want you guys to be happy, seriously! But you have to talk."

Blake frowned and said nothing.

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish by rebuffing her and cutting yourself off from everybody?" Weiss looked like she was trying to get hell to freeze over with her glare.

"This tag team thing you're doing is awful," Blake grumbled, looking away and crossing her arms. She paused for a long second. "I...I can't face her right now. It would be better if she forgets about me."

Weiss scoffed while Ruby made a concerned squeaking noise. "What do you mean, Blake?"

"I mean she deserves better than this. I can't even be honest with her, and all this baggage, I..." Blake gestured vaguely. "She shouldn't have to deal with it on top of everything else."

"Oh my god, shut up." Weiss was suddenly in her personal space. But her voice softened as she continued. "Do you really think you're being self-sacrificing?"

"More like self-sabotaging," Ruby chimed in.

Blake groaned. "What show did you two watch that caused this good-cop/bad-cop routine?"

"Stop deflecting," Weiss huffed.

Blake narrowed her eyes. "What do you want? You don't even know what we fought about, so please stay out of it." She opened the door so that they could leave.

"You know that Yang isn't stupid, right?" Weiss wasn't going to leave without a fight apparently. "She told Ruby about your argument, and Ruby told me."

"Sounds like a great game of telephone," Blake quipped.

Ruby giggled for a half second before a withering look from Weiss shut her up fast.

"She's not stupid," Weiss repeated. "Blake, she knows about who he is. Or at least has a very good guess." All of a sudden Blake desperately wanted to run out the door, down the street, maybe leave the country.

"I get it. I really do." Weiss' voice got softer. "I know it seems easier to avoid attachments, to not trust anyone. But you can't run away from this forever."

"It's not that I don't want to trust her," Blake said just as quietly. "It's that she shouldn't trust me. I'm a liability."

"He really got in your head, didn't he?" Ruby moved closer and slowly put a hand on Blake's arm, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wanted to.

Blake closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on inside her right now. She wanted to run. Or maybe she wanted to cry. Or maybe what she really wanted was one of those Yang hugs, where her arms wrapped around her whole body, and her face rested against Yang's neck, and she could smell her hair...

"I have to go to my meeting," Weiss muttered, checking her wristwatch. "Ruby, please get her to meet Yang. Or at least...leave the house." Ruby nodded vigorously.

"We'll be fine over here," she gave Blake a smile, which wasn't even sort of returned. "Good luck, Weissy!"

"Uh-" Weiss blushed. She actually looked caught off guard for a second. "Don't call me that!" But she gave Ruby a quick kiss anyway. "Talk to Yang," she stated firmly, looking Blake directly in the eye. Then she was gone, pulling the door shut behind her.

Blake eyed Ruby uncomfortably. "You can go, Ruby."

"Mm, I've been told not to leave you alone. Yang and Weiss are officially presenting the factory proposal to the board right now, so I'm supposed to convince you to come meet them afterward."

Blake's mouth was hanging open slightly. "Whose plan was this?"

"It was a group effort," Ruby replied with a smile. She plopped down on the couch and made herself comfortable. "Look, I know we're interfering, and I get that you don't like that." She tapped the cushion next to her. "But why don't we talk for a bit? It'll make you feel better, I promise."

"I'm not so sure about that," Blake said. Regardless, she accepted the invitation and sank down onto the couch beside Ruby.

But amazingly, Ruby didn't ask any more awkward prying questions. She just sat there, humming to herself, and flipped through one of the books on Blake's coffee table.

"Blake, you mind if I borrow this?" she asked after 5 minutes of silence, holding up the novel.

"...What do you want?" It was a rude question, but in her defense Blake _really_ wanted to be left alone right now.

"Uh...to borrow this..." Ruby looked genuinely confused. Blake sighed deeply.

The Schnee Company headquarters were formidable to say the least. From the outside, the enormous, strikingly white building looked intimidating enough, and then on top of that was the pristine rat maze inside - composed of more hallways, rooms, and offices than Yang could handle. It had taken her nearly 20 minutes to finally find the board room where Weiss would have to present the new factory proposal.

"Finally! The meeting starts in two minutes, you know," Weiss said sharply as soon as Yang rounded the corner.

Yang gave her a wide grin. "Nice to see you too, Weissy."

"What the - you people need to stop calling me that!" Her face was rapidly turning red. Yang raised an eyebrow. "Shut up, let's go in. I hope you're prepared for this."

"Born ready," Yang replied, straightening her tie and winking.

Weiss rolled her eyes and turned to enter the board room. Then she stopped, and immediately turned back to fix Yang with an intense stare. "Are you okay?"

Yang's smile dropped off her face, mostly from surprise. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're acting too confident, like you're covering things up. You...don't have to do that around me." Weiss spoke hesitantly, like she wasn't sure why she was saying anything.

"Oh...thanks." Yang gave her a softer smile. "But we're here for you. And I really do feel confident! These guys would be idiots not to agree to the proposal."

"I suppose you're right," Weiss replied, although she still looked apprehensive. And with that they made their way into the room.

Weiss took her spot at the front, next to a large screen, while Yang stood out of the way to her right. She was only here to support Weiss, not to actually present anything. The 13 members of the Schnee Company board sat around an oval-shaped table in the center of the room. Some of them looked so ancient that Yang wondered if they were going to make it through the presentation without spontaneously crumbling into dust. They were perusing the packets that Weiss and Yang had prepared, and only a few of them looked miffed about changing the factory plans. For most, Yang could almost see the gears in their heads turning as they tried to figure out which vote would get them the biggest profit.

Weiss calmly pulled up her presentation, although Yang could see her fingers shaking very slightly. Yang caught her eye and nodded in a way that she hoped was reassuring. Weiss straightened up again and lightly cleared her throat. The gathered board members stopped flipping pages and the room was suddenly enveloped in an almost eerie silence.

"Good afternoon, and thank you for-"

The door to the board room swung open with so much force that it slammed back into the wall. Yang, who was standing right next to it, jumped about a foot in the air. In the doorway was the asshole himself, Jacques Schnee. Weiss looked at him, a mixture of fear and anger clearly visible on her face for a fraction of a second before she covered it with a neutral expression.

"Father, I-"

"Well I certainly hope I'm not interrupting," Jacques said. His voice was calm and controlled, but also somehow sinister. "By all means, Weiss, continue." He gave her a fake smile and meandered to the head of the table, where he sat down.

"Um, I..." Weiss looked completely off balance, her eyes flickering over to her father every couple seconds. Yang didn't hesitate. She stepped forward from her position to stand beside Weiss and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it briefly.

"Thank you all for your attention, and for reading through our packets!" Yang grinned at the group. One woman gave her an awkward, close-lipped smile, which Yang took as a victory. "I'm Councilwoman Yang Xiao Long, and I've been helping Ms. Schnee develop this alternative proposal. I can assure you that the Schnee Company has my full support, and that the government of Vale will work alongside your company to make this proposal a reality. And without further ado, Ms. Schnee will now go over the details of her plan and timeline for factory construction with all of you."

Weiss, who had been taking long, deep breaths throughout the speech, gave Yang a quick look of gratitude.

"I have a question," Jacques said before Weiss could begin again. "Why exactly is a non-Schnee Company employee in this room? In the interest of security, I think it would be advisable for your...friend...to wait outside."

Yang glared at him. "With all due respect sir, I'm here on invitation from the CEO of the Schnee Company."

Jacques didn't even look at her, addressing the board instead. "What do you all think? Is it acceptable for an outsider to be privy to this important, confidential company business?" The board members immediately started grumbling their discontent while Yang suppressed a groan.

"Are you serious with this?" she demanded, ready to bite Jacques' head off. He was obviously trying to isolate Weiss, and she wasn't about to let him do it that easily.

"Yang, go into the hallway."

"But Weiss-"

"Yang. Wait out there." Weiss looked Yang directly in the eye, silently willing her to go quietly. "I can handle this." Yang searched her face for a moment. It was calm and resolute, all trace of fear gone. Yang sighed and left the room, trying to ignore the smug look on Jacques' face.

"Adam is my ex."

The top of Ruby's head popped out from behind the book. She had been laying back on the couch, her feet in Blake's lap. Now she sat up, swinging her feet around to the floor and putting the book down on a side table.

Blake lowered her own book slowly. "It wasn't a good relationship."

Ruby nodded but didn't say anything, waiting for her to continue. Blake paused. She wasn't sure why she was even talking right now. They had been reading in silence for a while, perfectly at peace with each other and the world. And here she was shattering that peace. But now that she had started, it felt impossible to stop.

"But he never...you know."

Ruby nodded again. She scooted a little closer on the couch, still leaving a respectful distance between them.

"Even still, I never felt fully safe around him." She took a deep breath. "There are things people can do, to make you forget who you are, to stop you from trusting anyone else...Some people can do that without having to ever lay a hand on you. And-and when you see those people again, it all comes back and..." Blake trailed off.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Blake. But I do think that you should tell Yang this." Ruby was trying to make eye contact, but Blake refused to meet her gaze. She didn't want to see the pity.

"Yang has more important things to worry about.."

"That isn't true even a little bit," Ruby replied. Blake could hear the pout in her voice even without looking at her. Blake ignored her comment

"He told me that nobody would ever love me like he did. That there was no way I could ever be happy without him- that we _belonged_ together."

"And what did you say?" Ruby was listening with rapt attention.

"I told him to get out. And that's when he promised that he would destroy everything that I love..." Blake felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

"That douchebag!" For the first time since Blake had known her, Ruby actually sounded angry. "You don't think he would actually hurt you or Yang, right?"

Blake shook her head uselessly. "I don't know...I don't know." She sighed and looked over at Ruby. "But I know that Yang doesn't deserve this, and I know she's safer if she stays far away from me."

Ruby made a sort of high-pitched, indignant scoffing noise. "B-but Blake! She doesn't deserve being suddenly cut out of your life either!"

Blake buried her face in her hands. "You're right. And...I do miss her." Her voice came out muffled and strained. "But I-I was so awful to her. She probably doesn't even want to talk to me - and she shouldn't!"

"Blaaaaake, come ON." Ruby bumped their shoulders together. "If you think she doesn't want to talk to you, then you're crazy! And if she wants to talk to you, and you want to talk to her - then what're you guys waiting for?"

Blake hesitated. "But...Adam-"

"Can't hurt you anymore," Ruby cut in. "None of us will let him, least of all Yang. C'mooooon, it's just one conversation! One little talk wouldn't be a problem, right?"

"I..." Blake raised her head from her hands and stared intently at Ruby. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" Ruby gave her a perfectly innocent smile.

Yang tapped her fingers together anxiously. She had paced back and forth along the hallway so many times over the course of the board meeting that she was sure her shoes had left imprints on the floor. It was taking all of her self-control to stop herself from standing right next to the door to listen, but she knew it wouldn't go over well if Jacques opened it and found her there. So instead, she paced over and over, tapping her fingers against her leg, or her face, or each other. If only she hadn't broken that pen...

"Hurry up," Yang muttered, checking the time yet again. They had been in there for over an hour and a half.

Finally ( _finally!_ ) the door opened, and the Schnee board members filed out, murmuring quietly to one another. A few of them glanced over at Yang, but their expressions told her nothing about what had occurred. Yang waited impatiently, tapping her right foot rapidly, for Weiss to exit the room. Only she didn't. The door swung shut behind the last board member with no sign of Weiss or her father.

Yang couldn't take it anymore. She furtively approached the board room door, then gingerly pressed her ear against it. She couldn't make out any words, but it sounded like Jacques was yelling, or at least sternly reprimanding someone. Yang gritted her teeth and grabbed the door handle.

"-completely idiotic!"

Jacques turned at the sound of the door opening, his eyes narrowing. "Who the hell invited you back inside?" He spat at Yang. Weiss, who had been staring down at the floor, looked up at Yang with wide eyes.

"I was only wondering what the results of the vote were, Mr. Schnee," Yang said, keeping her tone and body language completely cordial.

"Thanks to you and my brain dead daughter here, that idiotic proposal of yours actually passed." Jacques' lip curled up in disgust.

"That's great news!" Yang sent a beaming smile in Weiss' direction.

"Don't take this as cause for celebration."

"Ooh, I'm not sure how else to take it though," Yang replied, flooded with relief and sheer joy. She had to stop herself from laughing out loud.

Jacques was unamused. "Weiss has proven to be incapable of effectively leading the Schnee Company. I will be taking over shortly, at which point the decision will be reversed."

This time Yang actually did laugh. "Are you crazy? Weiss is doing an EXCELLENT job as CEO, and I bet your board members feel the same. In just a few months she's demonstrated more dedication, integrity, and responsibility than you could dream of!"

Yang locked eyes with Weiss, who looked like she simultaneously wanted Yang to shut up and to keep talking forever. Yang raised her eyebrows and gave her an easy smile.

"Your impudence is staggering," Jacques growled. "There's still time for me to make a sizable donation to the Black campaign, you know."

"Weiss, let's get outta here and celebrate. You did amazing," Yang said, shrugging off Jacques' comment and focusing on his daughter instead.

"Thanks Yang." Weiss smiled back at her and also opted to ignore Jacques - at least, until he blocked her path to the door and grabbed her shoulder in a vice-like grip.

"Excuse me! We aren't finished with our discussion." The way he said 'discussion' was dripping with menace, indicating that it would be anything but a civil conversation. Yang's smile morphed into a scowl as she started towards them.

"Get your filthy hand off her, Jacque-ass!"

"Oh my god..." Weiss whispered under her breath, looking up at the ceiling as if praying for strength. Although she was also clearly fighting back a laugh.

"What did you just call me?" Jacques turned back to Yang, dropping his hand from Weiss' shoulder. "I'm calling security - and you can count on the Schnee Company opposing the rest of your campaign at EVERY TURN, let me assure you!" He reached out for the conference table phone, but Weiss got there first.

"Actually, Father, the Schnee Company will be officially endorsing Yang Xiao Long for mayor effective tomorrow morning." She kept her hand firmly on the phone receiver to prevent Jacques from picking it up, looking him directly in the eye. "And I would recommend not calling security on my friends."

Jacques glanced between the two of them. He seemed to sense a shift in the power dynamics of the room, and he clearly wasn't liking it. "You _stupid_ girl. You're destroying my legacy! Destroying MY company!"

"It's not yours," Weiss said, straightening her spine to stand as tall as she could. "It's MINE."

Yang smiled wildly, about two seconds away from bursting into applause.

"You..I'll..." Jacques sputtered for a moment, then paused and cleared his throat. He gave Weiss another sneer.

"Listen, you insolent child. Being CEO of the Schnee Company is not a walk in the park like you seem to think. And when you become overwhelmed with this job, know that you will get absolutely _nothing_ from me," he said, before dramatically storming out of the room and slamming the door shut.

"Good," Weiss muttered after him. There was silence for five seconds as they both listened to the sounds of his footsteps receding down the hallway.

"Well, that was a thing," Yang stated with a grin.

Weiss turned to her and, with all the lightness and delicacy of a freight train, lunged forward to wrap her arms around Yang's neck in a tight hug.

Yang was caught off guard, but only for a second. Her arms reflexively moved around Weiss' waist to return the embrace. Then she laughed and swung Weiss off the floor in a circle.

"AH - unhand me!" Weiss yelped, squirming a little.

Yang laughed again but set her back down. "What? That's my patent-pending Yang Xiao Long bear hug! Ruby loves it."

"Hmph, I'm not surprised."

"You know, it's hard to pretend that you're really annoyed when you're smiling like that," Yang said, giving Weiss one of her own wide smiles.

Weiss looked flustered. "If you're just about done, we have somewhere to be."

"Huh? Where are we going?" Yang cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Downstairs." That was the only response Weiss gave, preferring to remain cryptic. Yang shrugged and accepted her fate, silently following Weiss out of the room and through the maze of hallways, which suddenly seemed far less intimidating than before.

They took a spotless glass elevator down to the ground floor, then walked across perfect white tiling to some back entrance.

"Here we are." Weiss led Yang through the door into a small outdoor area.

"Oh...oh, shit." They were in a cute little courtyard area, surrounded on three sides by the Schnee headquarters. There was a small man-made pond in the center, circled by a cobblestone path and lots of foliage. A few benches along the path gave views of the water. It was a really nice spot, but that wasn't why Yang's heart had kicked into overdrive, or why her legs were starting to shake under her weight. All of that was because of the person standing to the side of the pond, staring back at her just as anxiously.

"Hi Yang," Blake said, a slight tremble evident in her voice. "Can we talk?"

 **AN: Some certain individuals are gonna have a CHAT :3**

 **Sorry this is like a week late - my semester started about a week ago so things have been pretty crazy. But hey we're really close to the end here (3 chapters left!) so I'm gonna do my best to avoid any more long gaps. To anyone else who started school recently: have a great semester! (((remember to prioritize your health over academics always)))**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! Drop a review if you have some time :)**


	21. Chapter 21

"Bla - ACK!" Yang managed to choke on her own spit before she could finish the word. She hacked unattractively for about a minute while Weiss slapped her back.

"Pull yourself together," Weiss hissed through her teeth.

Blake looked mildly concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked, walking towards them to close the gap.

"Ye-ah," Yang croaked out. She cleared her throat a few times and ran her hands through her hair nervously, hoping that her face wasn't as red as it felt. "Uh, how'd you get here?" she asked quietly, looking directly into Blake's eyes.

"Your sister." Blake gestured with her head and Yang turned to see Ruby standing in the building behind them. Ruby gave Yang a double thumbs-up and a huge smile, which Yang couldn't help but reciprocate.

She turned back to Blake, and opened her mouth to speak. But nothing came out. Blake was finally right there - right in front of her! And it was like all of the things she had wanted to say to her over the past several days had got caught in the back of her throat and piled up against each other, trapped behind some huge gate. The only thing she could do was stare mutely at her face, visually tracing over her features with all the care in the world. It was almost stupid how much she had missed looking at her.

"I'll leave you two alone. You can stay here as long as you need," Weiss said. Yang had almost forgotten she was still standing there.

Blake acknowledged her statement with a grateful nod while Yang breathed out a shaky "thanks."

"...Do you want to sit by the pond?" Blake asked once Weiss had gone back inside. Yang nodded. She hadn't taken her eyes off of Blake the whole time, which she figured was kinda creepy. But she was beyond caring about that right now.

They wandered back over to the pond area and settled down on a bench in the shade. The sun was shining, but it wasn't excessively hot either, which Yang knew Blake would appreciate. A butterfly flittered past them like it was a Disney movie or something. Blake was taking deep, slow breaths as they walked, and Yang could tell that she was psyching herself up to start a Conversation.

"I..." Blake nervously gripped her hands together in her lap. "Yang, I am so sorry." Her voice and her hands were both shaking. "I need you to know that everything I did was to try to protect you, to make things easier for you. But I screwed everything up. I know that, and I-I understa-" She had to stop to take another long breath. "I understand if you'd rather I leave you alone."

Yang was still staring at her intently. She could see visible tears on Blake's eyelashes, although they hadn't fallen quite yet.

"Blakey." She kept her voice as low and gentle as possible. "Why on earth would I want you to leave me alone? You're my best friend." Yang reached over to brush away Blake's unshed tears.

"But..." Blake looked shocked that Yang was willing to make physical contact. "You- aren't you mad at me?"

Yang pulled back her hand and gave Blake a pained smile. "I was angry. Angry because I have no idea what's going on or why. And because instead of looping me in you decided to cut me out for days." Yang couldn't stop some of the emotion from coming into her voice, which was also starting to shake.

Blake winced at the words. "Yang..."

"No, it's okay." Yang took a couple deep breaths of her own. "I'm not angry now. This is my fault too, for pushing you to talk when you weren't ready. And I'm sorry for that."

"You didn't do anything wrong!" Blake broke in. A wave of emotion washed over her face and she reached out desperately to grab Yang's hand and squeeze it tightly. "It's all my fault. Please, don't blame yourself."

Yang looked down at their joined hands, suddenly flustered by the contact. "I, uh...I pushed past your boundaries, Blake. And I disregarded your feelings because I thought I knew better. That wasn't okay." She paused and took another slow breath, then looked back up at Blake. "Look, it doesn't matter whose fault anything was, okay? What matters is that you're here, and that you stay here. I don't need you to explain anything until you're ready. Just...promise me that you won't vanish like that again? I can't really...I can't handle that."

"I..." Blake stared at her speechlessly for a moment. Her eyes were shining with more tears.

"I- I promise." She said finally, gingerly rubbing her thumb over Yang's knuckles. "But...if you don't mind, I think that I would like to talk now. About, um..."

"About Adam?" Yang guessed. If Blake's expression was any indication, she had guessed right.

"Yes." Blake moved closer to Yang and exhaled slowly. "He's my ex-boyfriend. My..." Blake trailed off while Yang remained silent, waiting for her to gather up the nerve to continue.

"My emotionally abusive ex-boyfriend." The way Blake shuddered when she said the word "abusive" made Yang think that this was the first time she had labeled things so explicitly.

Yang nodded and held Blake's hand tighter.

"He never hit me, or even directly threatened to. It's probably why I stayed with him so long... I kept telling myself that it wasn't real abuse, it was just me being overly-sensitive." Blake shook her head and stared down at her feet. "But now that I'm away from him, I can see things clearly."

"At first it was only a few isolated incidents. Something would happen and things wouldn't go his way, and he would just...change. He would become vicious and cruel." Her voice was audibly shaking now. "Anybody who disagreed with him was a target for his fury. And if I disagreed with him then I was betraying him and our relationship." Blake sighed and picked up a leaf that was sitting on the bench, twirling it slowly between the fingers of her free hand.

"But he would go back to normal just as quickly. He always pretended nothing had happened - it made me think that maybe I had imagined everything. Or maybe I wanted to think that I had imagined it."

"And there were other signs, too. Like, he wouldn't let me talk to any male friends unless he was there. And eventually, he even started driving a wedge between me and my parents. I started calling them less and less because of how upset it would make him."

"That bastard." Yang's voice came out as a low grumble. Even just hearing about that guy was making her blood boil. Blake glanced up at her, as if coming out of a trance.

"Yeah..." She looked back down, still twirling her leaf thoughtfully.

Yang nudged Blake's shoulder with her own. "Hey, I didn't mean to break your train of thought. You can keep going if you want."

Blake shrugged. "There's not much more to tell. I broke up with him a little while before I met you." Her eyes darted from their hands up to Yang's face and back again.

"You - you remember how I was in that car crash?"

Yang frowned. "Yeah, I remember."

"I was still dating him at that time. And... by that point he had started to treat me like one of his enemies. Yelling at me anytime he thought I was "betraying" him, punching holes in the walls..."

Yang felt her body tense as her anger flared again. A big part of her wanted to find Adam right now a punch a hole in his face so he could see how it felt. Douchebag.

"We were in the car, he was driving." Blake's hands started to shake again but she kept going, completely focused on sharing her story. "He started yelling at me for...something. I don't remember. He threatened to crash the car if I didn't shut up... He-he swerved a couple times to scare me. And then..."

"And then he actually did crash the car?" Yang tried valiantly to keep her voice calm. She was about two seconds away from losing it. She couldn't stop thinking about the last time she had seen Adam - and how she should've strangled him on the spot.

"He hit the curb at high speed and we flipped over. It's a miracle that neither of us got seriously hurt." Blake's voice and hands were both steady now. She didn't look anxious anymore, just tired. "But that was the end of our relationship. That's what it took for me to realize that I couldn't stay with him."

"You did the right thing," Yang said. She leaned over and kissed Blake on the cheek as softly as possible. Blake gasped quietly.

"Oh... I'm sorry, I should've asked before I touched you."

"No, it's okay!" Blake looked into her eyes and smiled apologetically. "Yang, I... I should have told you all of this a long time ago."

"I disagree." Yang responded with an apologetic smile of her own. "You get to decide if and when you tell me stuff, okay? I shouldn't have tried to force you." She leaned back on the bench and stared at the pond for a long moment. The water was rippling slightly, catching the light so that it appeared to be glittering.

"Some of the things I said back in the office... About you not trusting me and stuff? It- it must have sounded like-" Yang throat closed up before she could finish the sentence. Blake shook her head emphatically.

"The words, maybe, were similar to how he would talk. But you are absolutely nothing like him." She forced Yang to make eye contact. "You're nothing like him," she repeated. "I-I used to be so scared to talk honestly around him, because I didn't know what would set him off. And with you... it's the exact opposite."

Yang wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light but she could swear Blake was blushing. She felt a rush of feelings for her, so strong that her knees went weak and she was glad to be sitting down. Yang reached out to brush the side of Blake's face, gently nudging her so that they were face to face. They were only inches apart, and Yang could feel Blake's breath on her lips, sending tingles up and down her spine.

"Can I...?"

Blake didn't respond verbally, instead closing the gap herself. It really did feel like there was an electric current running through Yang's veins when their lips met. She found herself smiling uncontrollably.

"Your teeth are getting in the way," Blake said, pulling back slightly. "Stop smiling." But her own lips were curling up into a smile of their own.

"Is that an order, baby?" Yang asked. She slowly moved her hands down Blake's back to settle around her waist. Blake's blush spread over her cheeks, clearly visible now.

"Obviously." She leaned back in to kiss Yang again, moving with more urgency now. Yang tugged her into her lap out of some desperate desire to be closer. Blake complied enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around Yang's neck tightly. Yang opened her mouth and Blake made a sort of contented humming sound before following suit.

She jerked back suddenly. Yang blinked her eyes open slowly, breathing heavily. "Wh-why'd you stop?"

"We're in public..." Blake's entire face was red. "Someone could see us."

"Oh. Blake, I couldn't care less."

"What?"

"I don't give a shit."

Blake raised both eyebrows. "But... your election?"

"I was going to tell you this, but I made a decision over the past couple days." Yang smiled and kissed Blake's neck. "I'm gonna come out for real, in the next few days probably."

"WHAT? Are you sure?" Blake pulled back further so she could stare incredulously into Yang's eyes.

"I'm done hiding who I am," Yang replied.

"You...don't have to do this for me, you know." Blake still looked hesitant, and maybe a little guilty.

Yang smiled again. "I'm not. Well, maybe a little bit. But I'm mostly doing this for me."

"...Shouldn't you wait until after the election?" Her eyebrows were furrowed now. Yang shook her head in response.

"I don't want to be elected based on a lie, it would feel way too shitty. And crazily enough, Qrow actually agreed with me!" Yang's grin got even wider. "If I lose the election over this, well, that'll suck too. But I'm prepared for it."

Blake just kinda stared at her for a second. Then she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Yang's forehead, brushing thick locks of blonde hair to the side. "How are you so...strong?"

"Ah, so the trick to successful muscle building is moving weights with control instead of-"

"Yang!" Blake pretended to be exasperated, but she was very clearly laughing behind her hand.

"Hey, don't hide your smile- it's your best quality!" Yang tugged her hand down and held it tightly in both of her own. "And for the record, I think you're the strongest person I've ever met."

They smiled at each other, reveling in the feeling of being together again, and wondering why they had ever been apart in the first place. Yang's world seemed to shrink down, until the only thing that mattered was Blake, sitting in her lap looking at her, and only her.

"So, just to be clear..." Blake's eyes were shining in the sunlight. "It's okay if I do this?" She pressed forward again, pushing Yang down so she was lying flat on the bench.

Yang's heart kicked into a high gear that she didn't even know existed. "Uh...uh-huh," she managed, proud of herself for expressing a sort-of coherent response.

"Good." Blake's eyes were shining in a different sort of way as she leaned down to kiss Yang deeply. Yang's hands were moving way before her brain could catch up, drifting under Blake's shirt to rub her back. Blake shivered at the feeling of Yang's fingertips on her bare skin, a reaction that somehow got Yang even more...excited.

While her brain was preoccupied with whatever Blake's tongue was doing, her hands made the executive decision that there were entirely too many clothes involved. She pulled up on Blake's shirt, causing a gasp of protest.

"Are you t-trying to take off my shirt?" Blake breathed, her face still hovering right above Yang's.

"Yeah, is that okay?"

"I was thinking that maybe... we shouldn't have sex on a bench in the middle of the Schnee Company courtyard?"

Yang's brain finally caught up. "Ah...yes." She could feel her entire face turning red.

Blake stood up, grabbing Yang's hand to pull her up after her. She smiled slyly. "So we can go somewhere else?"

"Sounds good to me." Yang stepped closer and kissed Blake again. "Hey Blake?"

"Mm-hm?" Blake asked.

"I...uh...you're hot." Yang wondered if it was possible for her face to set itself on fire. That was NOT what she had been trying to say. How did "I love you" get so mixed up between her brain and her mouth that it turned into "you're hot"?

Luckily Blake seemed to think it was funny. "Okay, Casanova. You're hot too." Blake laughed and tugged Yang's hand lightly to get her moving. They left the way they came, clinging to each other's hands like a lifeline.

Five floors up, Weiss squinted down at them through a pair of binoculars.

"What's happening? What's happening?" Ruby asked for the thousandth time.

"Shhh! I'm focusing," Weiss said.

"On what..."

"They stopped making out on the bench, thank god." Weiss sounded deeply disgruntled. "My employees use those benches you know! I don't want any...fluids."

"Ewwww why would you say that?" Ruby made a face.

Weiss scoffed. "Don't blame me, blame those two!"

Ruby made another face. "Okay, whatever you say. But what's happeniiiiing?"

"They're going to Yang's car. I don't know where they're going but they seem...oh..."

"What? What is it?" Ruby pressed her face to the window, but couldn't even see the car without the binoculars.

"Nothing, they just...went in the back seat." Weiss lowered the binoculars slowly. "On another note, I'm never riding in Yang's car again."

"Noted," Ruby said with a salute. Weiss couldn't stop a soft laugh - she was just too cute. "But why are they in the back seat?"

For a moment, Weiss wasn't sure if she was being serious. But no, Ruby was looking at her with 100% innocent curiosity.

"Can I see?" she continued.

"Absolutely not." Weiss tossed the binoculars aside. "Regardless, we've accomplished our mission now. Let's go home, team." Ruby grinned at the word "team" and saluted again.

 **AN: Thanks sm for reading! Drop a review if you're feelin it**


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